西班牙最新统计数据表明，在整形外科手术中，减肥手术的致死率已达到1％至2％，且术后伴有严重并发症的几率为10％。

    据《泰晤士报》10月25报道，统计数据表明，每年西班牙大约有1500人进行减肥手术，死亡率高达1％至2％，仅2002年，就有15人因接受减肥手术而死亡，而减肥手术后经历过并发症痛苦的人则达到10％。

    肥胖患者减肥的目的不仅是为了追求形体美丽，而且肥胖往往能使人患上危及生命的心脏病、糖尿病或呼吸道疾病。目前，越来越多的肥胖患者追求快速有效的减肥方式，而通过手术减肥就是其中之一。最常见的一种减肥手术是在患者胃的上部安装一个鸡蛋大小的和肠相连的囊，即胃替代物，以减少患者的食物摄取和消化能力。但调查显示，减肥手术可能会引起营养不良、感染、肠和胆囊疾病的并发症。对年龄大的肥胖症患者来说，减肥手术本身就可能使免疫系统突然发生改变。

    西班牙卫生部向人们发出警告说，除了手术自身存在的风险外，西班牙众多的美容机构还存在着医疗卫生安全隐患。主要问题有：手术中使用的器具不符合卫生要求；医疗垃圾管理不规范；医生、护士没有有效的执业证书等。

    Cosmetic surgery is a risky business in Spain. Fifteen patients died during or after operations to tackle obesity in 2002, the latest year for which complete figures are available.

    About 1,500 people a year are operated on for obesity, and the death rate is put at between 1 and 2 per cent of all such patients, with 10 per cent suffering severe post-operative crises.

    The Molding Clinic, where Mrs Obasanjo was treated, is one of several in the Marbella area, where an expatriate population that includes thousands of Britons increases the numbers of those choosing to undergo cosmetic surgery. It offers beauty treatment and cosmetic surgery from its modern, two-storey building. 　

    A spokeswoman for the Molding Clinic denied yesterday that staff were not qualified. She said that all of the surgeons there had the requisite licence from the regional government of Andalusia. She refused to give details of Mrs Obasanjo's operation.

    The Spanish Health Ministry has given warning of the dangers of surgery for obesity. It is concerned that private cosmetic surgeries may employ staff unlicensed for such operations and lacking in post-operative skills. 　

    There is no suggestion that the Molding Clinic has used unqualified staff.

    "Patients should not be operated on in a surgery without an intensive care unit alongside," Basilio More?o, the president of the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity, said.