Weight-Loss Injections, Surgery Safety and Istanbul Travel
This week’s medical-travel developments include new research relevant to patients taking GLP-1 weight-loss medicines, evidence concerning breast reduction in older patients, and updated travel information following flooding in Istanbul.
The findings should support better consultation and planning. They do not determine whether any individual patient is suitable for surgery.
Taking a weight-loss injection? Tell your surgical team
A systematic review and meta-analysis published on 15 October examined outcomes among patients undergoing aesthetic and body-contouring surgery. It included 12 studies covering 29,357 patients.
In pooled observational evidence, GLP-1 receptor agonist use was associated with increased risks of delayed wound healing and hypertrophic scarring. These medicines include treatments prescribed for diabetes or weight management. The researchers also said that further prospective studies are needed, meaning the evidence is significant but not yet final.
For patients, the practical lesson is straightforward: disclose all weight-loss injections during the first consultation. Give the clinical team:
The medicine’s full name
The prescribed dose
Why it was prescribed
When treatment began
The date of the latest dose
Any recent or continuing weight change
Any nausea, vomiting or difficulty eating normally
Do not stop a prescribed medicine without instructions from the prescribing clinician and surgical or anaesthetic team. Medication management must be decided individually.
Is age alone a barrier to breast reduction?
A separate study published on 12 October reviewed 1,716 breast-reduction patients. It found that being aged 65 or older was not independently associated with an increased complication risk among the selected patients studied.
Higher BMI and active smoking were more closely associated with complications. Older patients experienced fat necrosis more frequently, although the study reports that most cases were managed conservatively.
This does not mean that breast reduction is suitable or equally safe for every older patient. The study was retrospective and came from one tertiary centre. It does suggest that suitability should be assessed through the person’s overall health, medication, smoking status, weight, proposed surgery and anaesthetic risk rather than through age alone.
Read the open-access breast-reduction study.
Heavy rain and flooding in Istanbul
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its Türkiye travel advice on 15 October after heavy rain caused flooding in Istanbul.
Patients travelling for treatment should check their flight and transfer arrangements shortly before departure. Allowing additional time can be particularly important on consultation, admission and discharge days.
If local disruption affects a journey, contact the treatment coordinator, driver and hotel rather than attempting unfamiliar alternative routes immediately after surgery.
Check the current UK government travel advice for Türkiye.
A useful pre-surgery medication checklist
Before travelling, prepare a current medication record containing:
Every prescription medicine and injection
Over-the-counter medicines
Vitamins, herbal products and supplements
The dose and frequency of each item
The reason each medicine is taken
Any allergies or previous medication reactions
The prescribing clinician’s details, where relevant
Send this information before the medical assessment rather than waiting until arrival. It can affect anaesthetic planning, fasting instructions, bleeding risk, nutrition and recovery arrangements.
World Medi Group can help patients organise the information required for a hospital and surgeon to review a treatment enquiry. Final decisions about suitability, medication and surgery must always be made by the responsible medical team.
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