Tragedy Strikes When Patient’s Ignore Cosmetic Surgeon’s Credentials
A 32-year-old Florida mother of 6 died the day after undergoing a questionable liposuction procedure developed and performed by a man with no board certification in any medical specialty. According to an online article on USA Today, the woman was lured by ads for a “safe” way to lose weight using surgery. After returning home from her procedure in February 2010, the woman complained about not feeling well. She went to sleep but never woke up.
According to the USA Today article, the autopsy report attributed the woman’s death as an overdose of lidocaine (a potent painkiller) after “elective cosmetic surgery.”
Board-certified Cleveland cosmetic surgeons point out some of the facts brought to light in the family’s ensuing lawsuit against the liposuction:
- Although passing himself off as medically qualified, the liposuction provider was not board certified in any medical specialty.
- Despite his questionable credentials, the provider had developed and trademarked a type of liposuction.
- The provider was not only performing his unique brand of liposuction on unsuspecting patients, he was training people nationwide to perform the procedure.
- Neither the provider nor the people he has been training in his technique have any plastic surgery credentials.
- The office where the woman’s liposuction surgery was performed was not registered as a surgery center.
- Many patients assume, as did the woman who died, that people, businesses or facilities that use the word “medical” in their name have some sort of legitimate medical standing.
Board-certified Cleveland plastic surgeons view this case as another tragic example of a disturbing trend in the U.S. Some physicians without specialized plastic surgery training and a growing number of people who lack medical training of any kind are offering cosmetic surgery procedures to an unsuspecting public. The potential for tragedy is real and potential patients must be aware of what to look for when choosing a cosmetic surgeon.
More next time!