Inquest finds Gold Coast grandmother’s death may have been preventable after weight-loss surgery

An inquest into the death of a Gold Coast woman has found she likely would have survived had she remained in hospital after undergoing weight-loss surgery performed by Dr Reza Adib. The woman died several days after the operation. The coroner’s findings indicate her pathway to surgery was rushed, contributing to the circumstances surrounding her death. Multiple reports describe that the key issue before the inquest was whether appropriate post-operative care and observation occurred, including the decision-making around the timing of her discharge or hospital stay. The inquest concludes that continuing hospital care may have altered the outcome, suggesting that the woman’s death was potentially preventable. The case focuses on the timeline leading to surgery and the management of the patient during that period, rather than attributing the death to a single factor. The reports are consistent that the coroner determined the likelihood that she would have lived had she been kept in hospital, while highlighting concerns about how quickly she progressed to the procedure.