Ali Saddam, who weighed 301 kg and was touted as Iraq’s heaviest man, says he feels ‘lighter’ after doctors at BLK Super Speciality Hospital conducted a sleeve gastrectomy that will enable him to shed up to 151 kg over 12 months.

For years, the 43-year-old had to contend with a heavy intake of food. His regular diet included 24 eggs for breakfast, two chickens with 12 chapattis for lunch, and one goat for dinner, along with two litre of milk and 15 kuboos (Arabic roti).

Having gained weight rapidly in past four years, he reached his highest weight. The increased weight led to a string of health issues, including uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep disorder. Due to obstructive sleep apnoea, Ali had to depend on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. His family says he used to fall sleep while sitting in the car, watching TV or even talking.

“When the patient first came to us, we weren’t able to locate the abdomen as he had developed one foot of fat deposits around the belly. All his organs were densely covered with layers of fat. Secondly, controlling his heartbeat, blood pressure and sugar level was also critical before preparing him for surgery. Given his size, a team comprising two surgeons had to stand on stools while Ali was laid down on two operation tables,” said Deep Goel, senior consultant and director, bariatric and advance laparoscopy surgery.

The doctors performed the procedure in just one hour, using minimally invasive surgery.

Dr. Goel explained that the patient will be able to lose almost half of his weight in the next one year. Ali, who is ready to fly back home on Sunday, six days after the surgery, said he received no help from many hospitals in his country.

“I was reduced to a recluse in my own house. My appetite increased day-by-day and I maintained a sluggish lifestyle for years. I used to fall asleep while sitting in the car, watching TV and even talking. I did not realise that a heavy diet of saturated fats would end up making me weigh so much,” he said.

Ali has lost 20 kg in five days after the surgery. He was admitted to the hospital on March 16 and put on conservative treatment to get his lungs and diabetes under control. He was put on a liquid diet so his fatty liver shrank to its normal size so that there were no complications during the surgery on March 23.

“Usually in the case of such surgeries, patient stay in the hospital for two to three days. But Ali had to stay here for long as hotels denied him a room due to his size,” noted Ravinder Vats, consultant bariatric and advanced laparoscopy surgery.