World's Heaviest Woman? Egyptian Approved For Weight Loss Surgery In India

An obese Egyptian woman who claims she has not left her home for more than 25 years has planned to soon travel to India for an intensive weight loss surgery, the BBC reported Wednesday. Eman Ahmed Adb El Aty weighed in at more than 1,000 pounds and said she hopes to lose weight with the help of bariatric surgery, according to reports.

Initially, the Indian Embassy in Cairo denied Adb El Aty’s visa request. However, officials finally approved her trip to Mumbai after Indian surgeon Dr. Muffazal Lakdawala tweeted at the Embassy explaining that Adb El Aty’s life could be saved with his help. India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj promptly replied, thanking Lakdawala for bringing the situation to her attention, and Adb El Aty’s visa was approved.

Adb El Aty, who weighed 11 pounds at birth, has claimed she suffers from elephantiasis, a disease caused by a parasitic infection that causes certain body parts to swell. However, Lakdawala told BBC that he believes the 36-year-old woman’s weight of 1,102 pounds is because of obesity-triggered lymphedema, which can cause massive swelling in the legs.

Adb El Aty’s sister, who has taken care of her along with their mother, first contacted Lakdawala about the condition back in October. Lakdawala helped the family raise money to charter Adb El Aty’s flight to Mumbai, where Lakdawala said he planned to perform the surgery within a week.

“We are expecting to fly her to Mumbai next week as soon as the formalities are over," he said to BBC. “She would need to remain in Mumbai for two to three months for the surgery and treatment after which she would be able to return home, but it would take two to three years to bring her body weight under 100 kilograms (220 pounds).”

Although gastric band and gastric bypass are the most common types of weight loss surgeries, bariatric surgery is performed on people suffering from life-threatening obesity.

If Adb El Aty’s weight is accurate, she would trump Guinness World Record holder Pauline Potter, an American woman listed as the heaviest woman alive. Potter, who lives in California, was earned her title in 2010 after reportedly weighing 643 pounds.