Potential dangers of plastic surgery

Many Missouri residents undoubtedly consider plastic surgery to be fairly safe. Unfortunately, the problem with plastic surgery is that, like most surgeries, the patient has to be temporarily sedated with anesthesia. Anytime anesthesia is used, there is always a chance that something could go wrong. This is especially true when one or more of the doctors involved is negligent, as was the case with an 18-year-old Florida patient in 2013.

The patient went into Coral Gables Cosmetic Center for breast augmentation but ended up with brain damage, and her family is now suing the surgeon for negligence. During the procedure, the patient’s heart rate and blood pressure bottomed out without warning. The anesthesiologist tried to resuscitate her, but she slipped into a coma where she lingered for two weeks. Three years have passed since her surgery, and the patient can still only speak a few words and can only stand for a few seconds at a time.

Her family blames the physician for not providing an adequate airway while she was being resuscitated. This doctor has made mistakes in the past. In 2006, he was convicted of the felony of selling drugs online, served his jail sentence, and received a one-year suspension. He was allowed to keep his license then.

Medical malpractice comes in many forms, and a common one is a surgical error. A person who has been harmed in such a manner may want to meet with an attorney to see what recourse may be available. Not all errors constitute negligence, and an attorney will review the patient’s records and obtain the opinions of medical experts when attempting to determine whether there was a failure to follow the appropriate standard of care.