Plainfield man’s cosmetic procedure becomes a fight for survival

Deyaden (DD) was at the top of his game. At 29 years old, he was working on space projects for NASA, he had just married the love of his life and after losing a significant amount of weight, he was feeling healthier and more energized than ever.

But while on vacation in Egypt, he made a fateful decision to undergo a cosmetic abdominal procedure. DD wanted to remove the excess skin on his torso following his dramatic weight loss — but something went terribly wrong that left him in a coma.

“DD developed a condition from the surgery known as open abdomen,” says Michael Turturro, MD, a surgeon at Atlantic Health who specializes in abdominal wall and complex hernia reconstruction — and the doctor who gave DD his life back nearly a year later. “It happens when the abdominal cavity cannot be immediately closed due to swelling, infection or tissue damage.”

Cosmetic surgery takes a devastating turn

“I woke up three and a half months later in Egypt from a coma,” says DD. “The doctors didn’t explain the complications or why my stomach was wide open for months with my organs exposed. All I knew was when I looked down at my abdomen, there was no skin.”

A complex international medical transport was arranged to get DD back to the United States, where his family in Plainfield, NJ, witnessed him clinging to life.

Months of fear and uncertainty

The recommended solution was a series of skin grafts. Using skin from DD’s legs, surgeons closed his abdomen but left him severely disfigured with an unnatural-looking skin bulge and unresolved internal issues.

“The skin graft protected DD’s organs, but the loss of his abdominal wall caused the organs to shift out of position,” says Dr. Turturro. “This was a complex hernia case full of scar tissue from surgical complications and prior infections. A skin graft was not a final solution.”

DD adds, “I felt there had to be a better way, but doctors kept telling me this was my only option. They said I had to live with it.”

A breakthrough in Summit, NJ

DD continued to consult with multiple physicians, but even specialists in New York City turned him away due to the complexity of his case.

Then came a stroke of luck, as DD recalls. One of those doctors referred him to Dr. Turturro at Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center, where they had a hernia center designed specifically for cases like DD’s.

Dr. Turturro—an abdominal wall specialist, a skin and soft tissue expert and a skilled surgeon in complex hernias and revision surgeries—agreed to take his case.

“From the start, Dr. Turturro approached the case with a clear plan,” says DD. “He told me step by step what he would do. It was the first time I felt confident and hopeful, and I trusted him completely.”

A surgical solution that finally worked

The high-risk surgery lasted nine hours.

“We removed the skin graft to access the underlying structures and treat the scarred and damaged tissue,” says Dr. Turturro. “We released and mobilized layers of his abdominal wall and applied mesh reinforcements for proper healing. This approach gave DD the best chance for a fully functional and aesthetic outcome.”

And against overwhelming odds, the surgery was a success — with no complications.

A remarkable recovery

DD spent a week in the hospital, supported by a team of specialists in infectious disease, pain management and wound care.

“Healing a complex wound isn’t one treatment — it’s a coordinated strategy,” says Dr. Turturro. “We had to remove what was preventing healing, minimize risk of infection and create the right environment for his abdominal tissue to regrow.”

As DD began to regain strength, mobility and return to his daily life, he became proud of his new physical appearance.

“Thanks to Dr. Turturro and his team, my abdomen looks normal again with just a scar,” says DD. He credits his survival to the Atlantic Health Overlook medical team — along with those who brought him home, the family who put their lives on hold to care for him and his devoted wife who never left his side.