DIY gastric bypass surgery kit found for sale on Amazon.com

Story Published:
Jan 17, 2011 at 6:33 PM PST

Story Updated:
Jan 17, 2011 at 7:37 PM PST

SEATTLE — Scalpel? Check. Syringe? Check. Cautery pen to stop the bleeding after the do-it-yourself surgery? Check.

The scalpel, syringe, and more are among the supplies offered in a laparoscopic gastric bypass kit sold on Amazon.com. Users have tagged the product under “do-it-yourself” and “self-surgery,” stunning medical professionals in the Seattle area.

“Shock. Absolute shock,” said Federal Way-based family practitioner Dr. Linda Petter. “There’s certain information – there’s certain equipment, supplies – that definitely should not be sold on the Internet to the general public.”

Amazon – known mostly as an online retailer of books, movies, and music – recently drew ire after selling a book offering advice to pedophiles.

The gastric bypass kit is listed for sale not by Amazon, but by a third-party retailer, Med Plus, Inc., based in New Jersey. A man who identified himself as Wally Mezh, an officer of the corporation, said the kit is intended for medical workers only.

“This kit is not used for (the) home,” Mezh said, in a voice mail. “This is for clinic use, for professional use.”

Petter said she feared that non-professionals would get a hold of the gastric bypass kit and use it for ill intentions, or worse.

“The concern is always that this information, this medical equipment, these medical supplies will get into the wrong hands,” she said, “and perhaps be used by an unskilled, unlicensed surgeon. (This procedure) can only be done in an operating setting room with a skilled, trained surgeon.”

KOMO News traded voice mails with an Amazon spokeswoman, but we were unable to track her down. As of 3 pm Monday, the listing had been pulled from the website, but a cached version could still be found online.

“You’re potentially putting your health, your life in jeopardy and that is very, very serious,” Petter said. “It should not be available to the public at large at all.

“If they want to pursue gastric bypass surgery, they need to see a qualified surgeon.”