55-stone man ‘stuck’ in Spanish hospital unable to care for him

A MAN in poor health has been trapped in a Valencia hospital after officials admitted they lack the means to care for someone who weighs more than 350 kilos. 

The patient, Teofilo Rodriguez, is unable to walk and struggles to breathe, his back is reportedly riddled with bed sores.

According to his family, Rodriguez suffers from a thyroid problem. 

A wall was modified for Rodriguez’s recent admission to the hospital when firefighters transporting him discovered he could not fit in through the door.   

At the moment he remains in the publicly-owned, though privately-managed, hospital as an attempt to remove Rodriguez failed when the stretcher used to return him home was unable to support his weight and buckled. 

Rodriguez’s sister, Devora, told reporters yesterday that “moving him is very painful for him, the firefighters have to get him out”.

His family have launched an appeal against the hospital’s decision to remove Rodriguez and are refusing second attempts to move Teofilo with another stretcher. 

The hospital is yet to comment on the matter.