The official cause of death has been released for the late Lisa Marie Presley. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Presley’s untimely death was caused by “a small bowel obstruction” caused by scar tissue that developed after bariatric surgery. Leading up to her death Presley complained about abdominal pain before later being found unresponsive in her Calabasas home by her ex-husband.
Bariatric surgery is a method used by those with a high body mass index that cannot loose weight based off exercise and diet alone. According to Juan M. Carrillo, an examiner for the LA county said that the complications faced by Presley were a part of “known long-term complication of this type of surgery.”
Prior to her demise it was reported that Presley complained about symptoms such as abdominal pain, fevers, vomiting and nausea but did not seek medical attention for them.
Presley’s autopsy report stated while Presley had a history of drug abuse that up until her death she was sober. Following the surgery Presley was prescribed opiates both for her surgery and an infection which occurred later. The toxicology report stated that Presley had “therapeutic levels of oxycodone” in her blood which did not contribute to her passing.
Dr. Michael Camilleri, a consultant and professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic, said that the medications found in Presley’s blood “have slowed down the motility of the intestine and would have made it perhaps more likely” for it to get “obstructed by the adhesions.”
“Unfortunately, adhesions can happen to anybody,” he added. “And just because there were these other medications on board doesn’t necessarily mean that the person was more prone to develop the complications.”
Sources
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/entertainment/lisa-marie-presley-cause-of-death/index.html
