A half-tonne Mexican man believed to be world's heaviest is set for an operation in Italy.
Manuel Uribe, weighting 550 kilograms, has drawn the attention of doctor Giancarlo De Bernardinis. The Italian travelled to Mexico in March to examine 40-year-old Uribe.
The man has been bedridden for the last five years, and his wife abandoned him more than a decade ago because of his extreme obesity, world media say.
Medics are puzzled by the fact that Uribe's blood-sugar and cholesterol levels are normal, and his heart seems to work well.
He has told reporters that he would try to reduce his weight a bit, so he would be fit enough to travel to Europe for surgery.