Plastic Surgery isn’t something to be taken lightly. Once you start researching what can go right as well as what can go wrong, you might also want to research your options should such a complication occur under the knife.
Complications of Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery can be risky, but do you know the exact complications that have required some patients to hire medical malpractice attorneys post-procedure?
- Numbness: It is possible that the area operated on can lose sensation either temporarily or permanently.
- Slow Healing: While all patients’ recovery times differ, it is possible that slower healing times can increase the chances of infection.
- Loose Stitches: Loose stitching can result in excess bleeding or infection.
- Aspiration: If a person vomits or produces mucus while being operated on, some fluids could enter the lungs. If this happens, the person could die if not attended to immediately.
- Airway Obstruction: Anesthetics used during the surgery could cause the airways to be blocked. The doctor may need to insert breathing tubes to assist the patient, who could experience brain damage or die.
- Blood Loss: Large amounts of blood loss could harm a patient, while excess pooled blood under the skin could result in the need for extra surgical procedures.
- Brain Damage: Breathing problems can lead to a lack of oxygen reaching the brain, in turn causing brain damage.
Learn more about the risks associated with plastic surgery procedures and what may constitute medical malpractice.
Find out when medical errors are made in a cosmetic surgery procedure and what you can do to avoid them.
If you have a loved one who is considering cosmetic surgery, you may believe that malpractice and health risks are associated only with performance of the actual procedure. Horror stories about fatal reactions to anesthesia or medical items left in the body cavity after surgery attract the most attention.
However, your loved one may be at the greatest risk for error long before he or she ever enters the operating room. Choosing the right candidates for surgery is a cosmetic surgeon’s prime responsibility.
Patients of any age can experience adverse effects from surgery. Their prognosis for a healthy and satisfactory outcome may be very good if the current state of their immune systems and overall health is stable.
A patient’s suitability for surgery becomes questionable if they:
- Smoke
- Are pregnant
- Have diabetes
- Have congenital heart problems
- Are on multiple medications
There may be other preexisting conditions or lifestyle habits that conflict with the particular procedure or necessary medications chosen. This is why a judicious selection of candidates and adequate preparation for surgery is critical.
Avoiding Plastic Surgery Complications
To avoid complications due to error or medical malpractice, your loved one’s choice of plastic surgeon is important. Make sure the provider is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. Pick somebody who has performed many of the specific operations your loved one seeks; tummy tucks, breast implants and facial resurfacing involve very different skills.
Finally, help your loved one to disclose a complete personal and family medical history. Hereditary conditions and predispositions can have a big impact on the outcome of cosmetic surgery.
If your loved one has experienced possible medical malpractice, it is important for them to act quickly and speak with an experienced attorney about their legal options.
Find A Medical Malpractice Attorney
Dr. Jan Adams, the plastic surgeon who operated on Kanye West’s mother the day before she died suddenly, voluntarily surrendered his medical license to the State of California this week.
Prior to the death of Donda West, Dr. Adams had appeared frequently on Oprah and was the host of a Discovery Health show, Plastic Surgery: Before and After. Reports indicate that Adams had settled at least two medical malpractice suits for $250,000 and $217,000, and had two DUI convictions between 2003 and 2006, resulting in probation time.
Adams performed a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction procedures on Donda West on November 10, 2007. The next day she was found unresponsive and in respiratory distress.
Autopsy results were released several months later and indicated that coronary artery disease and various complications from plastic surgery were likely the cause of death. The final matter of death could not be determined, the coroner’s office said in a statement.
Questions as to Dr. Adams’s possible negligence in the case arose after another Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Andre Aboolian, said he had refused to perform surgery on West until she obtained a medical clearance for a condition that could lead to a heart attack.
Approximately 60,000 adverse events occur per year as a result of cosmetic surgery.
If you have lost a loved one and you suspect their death was the result of complications from a cosmetic procedure, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney to find out what legal action you may be entitled to take.
