Plastic Surgery Often Leads to Death; Not Beauty

Plastic Surgery is not only expensive, but can also be fatal.

Maria Shortall, a 38 year old Davie woman died following a procedure at The Alyne Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Weston, FL.

Ms Shortfall stopped breathing around 3:10 p.m. Saturday, and employees at the center called for an ambulance. Shortall was rushed to the Cleveland Clinic, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m.

The type of procedure that Shortfall underwent was not specified.

The Broward Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy Monday, but did not release a cause of death.

As reported by the Sun Sentinel,”Detectives do not plan to release any details regarding the procedure until further investigation is done,” Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright said in a statement.

On May 16, 2011, Rony Wendrow, a retired Tamarac teacher and sister of Broward Commissioner Ilene Lieberman, went to Strax Rejuvenation and Aesthetics Institute to have her neck and eyelids tightened. Dr. Harold M. Bass called it a minor operation that typically takes 30 to 40 minutes.

Rony Wendrow died following the procedure. Dr. Bass said has “absolutely no idea” what went wrong during the operation.

Rony Wendrow, 61, was in good health, passed a pre-surgery medical screening and had been through plastic surgery before with the same anesthesia used during the procedure, Dr. Harold M. Bass said.

“We had just started. The case was going so beautifully and all of a sudden she had a cardiac [emergency],” Bass said. “In all honesty, I have absolutely no idea what happened. We have no clue at all. … I truly believe it wasn’t anything we did or didn’t do in the surgery room.”

As far as risks go, about one percent of all operations, whether cosmetic, orthopedic or cardiac, result in an infection, but they can be dangerous and could ruin the results of a cosmetic procedure.

Multiple procedures significantly increase the risk of complications in patients who have multiple procedures at the same time. Having breast reduction, a tummy tuck and facelift in combination could require a six-hour operation, increasing the risk of DVT, lung infection, or major blood loss.

Liposuction Cosmetic procedures rarely result in death, but liposuction involving large volumes of fat is one of the highest-risk practices. Procedures involving more than six liters of liposuction usually require a blood transfusion, which can dramatically increase the associated risks.

Severing a Nerve during facelifts can result in permanent damage to facial nerves.

In a interview with CNN, Nigel Mercer, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons said: “With a tummy tuck the bottom part of tummy will be permanently numb following the procedure,” “Very few patients who come to see me have been told that by other surgeons they have seen. ”

Buttock implants. Solid silicone implants in the buttocks can sometimes harden. That can be painful, difficult to sit on, and be visible when the patient moves around. Buttock surgery also carries an increased risk of infection.

Scarring. “About four percent of the population do not form nice white scars, they form a very red, raised, lumpy scar,” said Mercer.

Smoking. Mercer says there is a much greater risk of complications in smokers, because nicotine greatly constricts blood vessels. Some surgery involves cutting and tying blood vessels, meaning efficient blood flow is essential.

If you decide you are going to proceed with a cosmetic procedure, do your research. Ask the doctor about his qualifications. Investigate whether the Doctor carries Medical Malpractice Insurance, and ask whether the procedure will be performed in a hospital or surgical center. While the cost of the surgical center may be lower, you need to weigh risks versus costs. Keep in mind that doctors may own or have a financial interest in the Surgical Center they are promoting.

As a Florida Medical Malpractice attorney, the majority of Malpractice cases I reviewed took place at outpatient facilities, which did not have Insurance, and whose doctor’s were also uninsured.