Last year, our South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog reported on the death of a 35-year-old Miami woman who died after undergoing liposuction and butt enhancement surgery at Strax Rejuvenation and Aesthetics Institute. Now, the husband of Lidvian Zelaya says he plans to sue the cosmetic surgery chain for Broward County medical malpractice.
Zelaya died after the surgeon injected about two liters of fat, which he’d taken from her stomach, back, and sides, into her buttocks. According to the Miami injury lawyer of Osvaldo Vargas, that amount is too much fat to insert into a patient’s body when the procedure isn’t being done at a hospital. The attorney also contends that the surgeon, Dr. Roger Gordon, inserted the fat into Zelaya’s muscle, which is a riskier way to do the procedure than injecting it beneath the skin.
The legal representative for Strax has said that fat embolisms are a known liposuction risk and that the dangers were revealed to Zelaya prior to the procedure. Zelaya reportedly then signed a waiver. However, her family believes that the medical decisions that were made during the procedure placed her at greater risk for complications than necessary.
Plastic Surgery Malpractice
As with any surgery, plastic surgeons must ensure that no mistakes occur that could cause serious injury, disfigurement, or death to a patient. It doesn’t matter whether the procedure is one done out of medical necessity or for personal reasons.
Risks involved with Buttock Enhancement Surgery:
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Asymmetrical appearance (if implants are involved)
• Scarring
• Anesthesia reaction
• Hematoma
• Seroma
• Poor Wound Healing
Blood flow blockage killed woman in liposuction at Strax in Lauderhill, autopsy says Family blames doctor; Strax denies any fault, Sun-Sentinel, April 28, 2011
Clinic Sued Over Butt Enhancement Death, NBC Miami, April 29, 2011
Miami Woman Dies After Undergoing Lauderhill Plastic Surgery, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, December 31, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Rejuvenation and Aesthetics Institute in Lauderhill