Dr Muffazal Lakdawala is on a mission. He wants to ensure a new lease of life for 36-year-old Egyptian woman, weighing 500 kg, who will soon be airlifted to Mumbai for obesity surgery.
Lakdawala’s tweet to Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeking government’s assistance in acquiring visa for Eman Ahmed Abd El Aty resulted in prompt response from the politician, who helped him in getting a visa for Eman.
Now, Lakdawala is busy arranging logistics to bring world’s heaviest woman to India for a treatment. Though Lakdawala has previously operated upon a patient weighing 300 kg, on being asked about the next step for Eman, he said, “It’s going to be a tough journey.”
In an interview with My Medical Mantra, Lakdawala shares how he got in touch with Eman’s family, mentions about the hurdles in store and preparations for the surgery.
How did you get to know about Eman? When did her family get in touch with you?
Two months ago, Eman’s sister Shaimaa Ahmed Abd EL Aty wrote to me for medical help. Eman needed a surgery and it was necessary for her to travel to Mumbai. I wrote to the counsel general in Egypt, but due to logistical issues, they could not process her visa. Then I decided to tweet to our external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. The minister’s prompt response helped us get a medical visa for Eman and now, we are waiting for her to arrive to Mumbai.
Now that the visa has been arranged and Eman is soon to be airlifted, what are the preparations you are making for the surgery?
We have been in talks with private airlines and are looking for sponsors to raise funds for her transport as well as treatment and will soon start an online campaign called ‘Save Eman’ for the same. She will need a private chartered flight and the family cannot afford it. For the surgery, we have a 450 kg operation table and are arranging for other equipment. We will have a multispecialty team of doctors, including two bariatric surgeons, cardiologist, endocrinologist and chest physician who will be looking after her before, during and after the surgery. Also, we have an all-women’s team to ensure her comfort as she is from the Arabic world and has been looked-after only by her mom and sister, so far.
Can you elaborate on challenges you are likely to face for Eman’s surgery?
The heaviest person I have operated on so far weighed 300 kg and the world’s heaviest person who had undergone bariatric surgery weighed 350 kg. One of the challenges we face while operating upon such heavy person is to manage a number of diseases that they suffer, like diabetes and hypertension, which may lead to complications for the surgery. Eman has diabetes, asthma, hypertension, pulmonary embolism (a sudden blockage in a lung artery) and sleep apnoea. She had also suffered a stroke. The biggest challenge for us while operating upon Eman will be pulmonary embolism.
My Medical Mantra originally published this interview on December 08, 2016.
Related links
For the first time in 25 years, 500kg Egyptian woman steps out of her house to fly to Mumbai
Mumbai doctor travels to Egypt to meet world’s heaviest woman
Weighing 500 kg, Egyptian woman to be airlifted to Mumbai for obesity surgery
At 500kg, 36-year-old woman has not left her bed for 25 years
Best Of Luck Muffibhai. You WILL Do It.
All the best Sir
Great।
Thank God for people like you. I had bariatric surgery and it saved my life. I will be praying
We Wish You All the very best Dr. MUFAZZAL.
From the entire team of BURHANI HOSPITAL, SURAT.
Dr Muffi, we wish you all the best for the surgery and also helping her for her better healthy life
Ol d very best… It’s indeed a kind gesture… God bless
Dear Dr. Muffazal wish you all the best .
All the very best Muffadal.may Allah bless you.
I wish you all My best, friend.
From all My team and Turkish Obesity Support Group..
Your sincere efforts will be duly rewarded
Wish Dr Muffazal Lakdawala & Eman all the best and pray to God that the operation is successful.
All the very best Dr muffadal
I wish you all the best doctor. May God bless you for all you have done for this family.
Thank you, Dr. Muffi!
I wish you the best!
Dr. Mahoney
Bon chance
I wish you all the best Sir
I wish all the best Dr. Muffazal and May God guide you
Bless you,Muffadal!
We wish you best. Good luck! Good luck! Good luck! Both of you!
Good luck and God bless you to help her to be better and her life
Dr Muffazal , May God help guide
You during this Operation! Eman
Needs your knowledge and Confidence
During this most difficult Surgery!
Gods Speed & Thank You. I’ll keep you both in my Prayers! Ms. Martin
May God Bless you Both!!
I wish her fast recovery with that problem please Dr make a plan for that !!! God bless
Thank God for your willingness to help her God bless
All things are possible through Jesus Christ. I pray God guides the docs hands during surgery.
God will be on her side and she will be fine.
I wish u all success in treating this lady for her overweight problem.
u will be giving a new life to her. This will also enhance the prestige of the country and the indian medical fraternity. once again i wish u all success.
God bless
My prayer is with you Dr. Muffazal and your team for a successful operation.Nothing is impossible with GOD.
May the Almighty God protect and guide you as you’re going to do this operation. May it be successful in Jesus Name.
I hope the surgery all goes well, and may all of you be blessed. Secondly I want to say that Dr. Muffi is hottie! But he is also apparently a great human being to go above and beyond to help someone.
Good luck as well as all the physicians and bless them and their hands.
Good luck on the surgery.
May God be with you when you operate her!
What an opportunity to save a life and push the envelope on the possibilities of bariatric procedures for other at risk individuals. God speed Doctor and may he look over your shoulder as you perform your miracle.
I wish you the best and God’s gaurdians
Good luck to both of you. May God help you in your mission.
Dr.Muffi, you are the best. you can do it, the entire country is behind you.
dear doctor muffi ,
god bless u for the initiative you have taken. best luck!!!!
Best of luck to you Dr Muffi and supreme super wishes for your anaesthetist team
From : An Anaesthetist
Dr Gayatri Patankar
Dr Muffazal Lakdawala ….WISHING YOU ALL THE VERY BEST..U R THE RIGHT PERSON.
I AM SURE SHE WILL GO BACK TO EGYPT FIT AND FINE..AMEN.
Good evening Dr Muffazal
Thanks a lot for all this support
Actully I am from Egypt and I wanna help our patient, if possible any account for support for surgery to transfer money