He is the heaviest man in Andhra Pradesh on record. M. Satyanarayana, a tenant farmer from Mandapet in East Godavari district, weighs 237 kg and is getting crushed under his own weight. And, doctors say his obesity has reached a life-threatening stage, with his vital organs like the heart, lungs and kidneys getting affected.
“The human heart is designed for a body weight of 70 kg, but the patient’s weight is almost four times what the heart is engineered by nature to take,” says city-based bariatric surgeon Kongara Ravikanth.
Mr. Satyanarayana underwent treatment at various super-speciality hospitals after he collapsed with exhaustion. Cardiologists stabilised his heart and sent him home.
ADVERTISEMENT
Now, he is bed-ridden, thanks to this weight that is unevenly distributed. The lower half of the body - hips and legs - have huge folds of fat. He is unable to go to the toilet and is dependent on the bedpan for urination.
Besides, a festering wound on his right leg is not healing because of obesity. The wound is infected and is exuding huge quantities of pus.
After several doctors ruled that there was little they could do for Satyanarayana, Endocare Hospital here has taken up the challenge of saving his life.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We have to first take care of the infection. Once the wound heals, a bariatric surgery has to be performed on the patient. This will reduce the intake of food. He has to be treated in-patient for a couple of months, as his condition has to be closely monitored. After the surgery, secretion of the ‘hunger hormone’ will be reduced, and the patient will stop eating. The body will then look for fat deposits for its energy needs and gradually over a couple of months the obesity will disappear,” Dr. Ravikanth said.
Mr. Satyanarayana needs financial help. The hospital has decided to waive a few bills, but he will still need money for medicines.