The Medical Syndicate Investigates a Gastric Sleeve Surgery for a 9-Year-Old Girl in Egypt
August 28, 2025204 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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In an incident that sparked widespread controversy and public outrage in Egypt, a 9-year-old girl underwent gastric sleeve surgery after a long struggle with obesity and serious health complications threatening her life.
Dr. Hisham Abdullah, who performed the surgery, posted a video on his Facebook page revealing details of the case, explaining that the girl, Rawan, suffered from severe obesity that caused her legs to bow and led to early stiffness in her knees, negatively affecting her health and quality of life.
The doctor confirmed that the girl underwent multiple treatment programs to lose weight, but none achieved any tangible results, which forced the medical team to resort to surgical intervention as a last option after full consent from Rawan's family.
However, this procedure sparked a wave of controversy among doctors and the media, as the Egyptian Medical Syndicate announced an urgent investigation with the doctor after receiving numerous complaints and inquiries.
The syndicate stated in an official statement that its scientific and advisory committees, during a medical conference in 2024 that included experts in pediatrics, therapeutic nutrition, and pediatric surgery, recommended against performing obesity surgeries on children under the age of 13 for girls and 15 for boys, except under strict medical conditions and criteria.
Dr. Jamal Ameera, the deputy of the General Syndicate of Doctors, confirmed that the syndicate summoned the doctor for an investigation next Sunday to understand the motivations behind performing the surgery at such a young age, pointing out that publishing a video of the surgery constitutes a violation of patient privacy.
Ameera concluded that performing gastric sleeve surgery on a nine-year-old girl is considered unusual in medical practice, and such operations should only be conducted after precise medical justifications and strict criteria are met, even with parental consent.
The case is still under follow-up amid a division between those who see the need for surgical intervention to save the girl's life and those who consider the procedure an irresponsible step that may expose her to long-term health risks.
