Urgent action and legislation are needed to tackle overseas bariatric and cosmetic tourism

We were pleased to read the article highlighting the ongoing problem of complications from overseas surgery.1Our department has seen several patients with emergency complications associated with cosmetic tourism in the past year. The most common reasons for seeking surgery abroad are inability to access NHS care and inability to afford private UK alternatives.2Most patients presenting with complications from overseas cosmetic surgery require admission for surgery, drainage of collections, or intravenous antibiotics. Imaging is often necessary to characterise collections or during ultrasound guided drainage. Some patients require washouts or revision of surgery, and often need ongoing wound care and outpatient follow-up over several months. When patients do not present immediately, they suffer without appropriate follow-up.Aside from the disproportionate use of emergency resources and theatre time when compared with elective surgery, managing complications from overseas surgery comes with logistical difficulties, such as problems accessing operative documentation.It is difficult to know the number…
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