Dangerous Liposuction Malpractice Lawsuit. Liposuction regardless of how long the surgery takes and whether done in combination with another procedure or not is among the most dangerous of plastic surgeries. A study done several years ago by two California plastic surgeons estimated that the death rate from liposuction was 1 in 5,000, a rate […]
Dangerous Liposuction Malpractice Lawsuit. Liposuction regardless of how long the surgery takes and whether done in combination with another procedure or not is among the most dangerous of plastic surgeries. A study done several years ago by two California plastic surgeons estimated that the death rate from liposuction was 1 in 5,000, a rate nearly 20 times higher than that of other forms of elective cosmetic surgery.
The majority of liposuction deaths stem from factors that may be compounded significantly when surgeries are done in office settings. Plummeting heart rates and blood pressure can be deadly when an office does not have emergency equipment nearby.
Liposuction is also particularly dangerous because the surgery requires doctors to suction out fat by repeatedly jabbing a suctioning device deep into a person’s body which increases the risk of accidentally perforating vital organs. There is also a tendency for blood clot related problems to occur after liposuction with most patients going home shortly after surgery without a doctor to monitor them.
In Florida, a state that has been touted as a national example for its regulations on plastic surgery, the statistics clearly illustrate how risky these procedures can be. In less than two years at least eight people have died here, including a 72-year-old retired postal worker who saved for years to pay for liposuction.
The reason no one knows the extent of the problem is that no one is keeping a national tally of the deaths stemming from plastic surgery. A few states, among them Florida and California have begun to, but there are few other states with which to compare the results. In February, after three high-profile cases in which patients died after having combination tummy tuck and liposuction procedures, Florida decided to act again. It imposed a statewide emergency moratorium banning that double procedure from being performed in doctors’ offices for 90 days while the board studied the safety of such operations.
If you or a loved were injured during liposuction surgery, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified malpractice attorney or call us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
