Earlier this month (July 2023), it was revealed that Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, died from an obstructed bowel as a result from previous weight-loss surgery.
The 54-year-old died on January 12, 2023, after going into cardiac arrest from a small bowel obstruction, which triggered a strangulated small bowel, caused by weight loss surgery she had years prior.
This complication usually develops when blood supply to some of the intestine is cut off because it became trapped. Loss of blood supply causes body tissues to die, which is known as gangrene, can then develop within six hours and cause the intestinal wall to die and rupture. This results in bowel contents seeping into the surrounding abdominal cavity, causing an infection.
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Sepsis then sets in, meaning the immune system overreacts to the infection by damaging tissues and organs and needs urgent treatment as it can become fatal.
Lisa Marie Presley’s bowel obstruction was the result of scar tissue sticking together, known as adhesions, caused by a gastric bypass, according to TMZ.
A gastric bypass reduces calorie intake and makes people feel fuller by attaching the top of the stomach to the small intestine. Approximately 6,000 people in Britain receive the surgery each year.
Although the surgery results in considerable weight loss within a few years, it can cause numerous complications such as a blocked gut. Scarring can reduce blood flow to the operation site and results in food getting stuck in the gut and it becoming kinked or twisted.
Side effects include swallowing difficulties, frequent vomiting and stomach pains. The blockage can be widened and cleared by passing a thin, flexible tube down the throat.
According to reports, Ms Presley wanted to lose weight for The Elvis awards ceremony, including taking weight loss medication, for which she lost 50 pounds. She also had plastic surgery two months before the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles which took place two days before her death.
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It has not been confirmed what weight loss medication Ms Presley was taking however Wegovy, a brand of the antidiabetic medication semaglutide, became increasingly popular for weight loss since being approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Ms Presley was found unresponsive by her housekeeper on January 12 and her ex-husband, Danny Keough, performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Adrenaline was also given at least once, and the fire department was able to regain Ms Presley’s pulse before being transported to hospital.
LA County Sheriff’s Department told Dailymail.com: “Deputies from Lost Hills Station responded to an assistance request call from LA County Fire, near the 9500 block of Normandy Drive in Calabasas regarding a female adult, approximately 55, for a medical emergency/female not breathing.
“The female adult was transported by LA County Fire Department to a local area hospital where they were released to the hospital’s care.”
