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Brain-dead from Laser Lipo Under Local Anesthesia?

asked 2 years ago by flawed beauty in ca
Latest answer by David A. Bray, Sr., MD
Question viewed 3,611 times
Tags: anesthesia, risk

This question is for doctors who perform Smart Lipo or liposuction using local anesthesia: I read about a 37-year-old woman who went brain-dead after receiving laser lipo at a Medspa in the East Coast. How is it possible for a woman to go brain-dead and die from laser lipo, or do you think msybe something else transpired with her for such a drastic outcome of her surgery?

12 answers to Brain-dead from Laser Lipo Under Local Anesthesia?

+1

Risk

There are multiple risks that should be minimal. The medication for sedation may have been too much, The xylocaine infusion could have been incorrectly calculated. The beauty of smart lipo is that it should be done sedated mot a general anesthesia. My patients talk to me alll through the procedure but, are perfectly comfortable
David A. Bray, Sr., MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

drbray.com

+3

Liposuction and Smartlipo Safety

For any surgical procedure it is important that your Plastic Surgeon has your safety as priority #1. Make sure that your surgeon is Board Certified and practices at an accredited facility. Fortunately liposuction and Smartlipo done by a reputable and safe surgeon on an appropriate patient is a very safe procedure.
John K. Wakelin III, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon
+3

Brain-dead from laser lipo under local anesthesia

Dear Flawed, REGARDING -"How is it possible for a woman to go brain-dead and die from laser lipo, or do you think maybe something else transpired with... " This case has been in the news repeatedly and exemplifies why you should ALWAYS insist on a Plastic surgeon going Plastic surgery rather than the current state where due to corrupt state officials ANY doctor can PRACTICE any field of Medicine. In this case as in most such disasters implicating "plastic surgeons", the Doct more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+2

Safety first with liposuction

Liposuction has been around for a long time and there have been several improvements in technique and technology. In the mid-1990's, there were several reports of death and serious complications, and the procedure started to get a bad reputation. As a result, a task force of experts was put together and it was determined that there should be limits on how much could be done at one time, and that it should be done in properly accredited surgical facilities. It then became a safe and... more
Richard Baxter, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Laser lipo and death

Surgery is surgery, and liposcution whether done with laser as in Smartlipo or more traditional means can have complications. While it is extremely rare, death can happen with almost any surgery. The key to minimizing your risks, are to go with a top qualified surgeon in a fully accredited facility or hospital, and have a full medical work-up as deemed appropriate for your age and general health statu.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Smart Lipo

Without knowing all of the details, there is no way to speculate about what transpired. More detailed information is needed to begin to understand what happened.
Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD

San Francisco Dermatologic Surgeon

www.elitemdspa.com

+1

State Licensure can not be trusted.

All of the advice you have been given is very good. I want to add a bit of information that could possibly save a life. Many states, my state included, do not control the spectrum of medical practice of licensed physicians. Once a physician has a license to practice medicine in that state they can call themselves any thing they want no matter what specialty of training they have had. I know OB-GYN doctors that are suddenly marketing themselves as cosmetic surgeons and soliciting... more
Marcus L. Peterson, MD

Saint George Plastic Surgeon
+1

Risks of liposuction in the wrong hands

Liposuction is real surgery - nothing less. It should be done by a properly trained surgeon in an accredited facility preferrably with a physician anesthesiologist there either for geneal anesthesia or at least sedation. Too many people downgrade it to just a little "procedure" and underestimate the potential risks.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tragic Outcomes After Plastic Surgery

It is possible for "lightning to strike" any one of us at any time, including during a plastic surgery case. Sadly, almost all of the bad outcomes that you will hear about in the media are have one or more of the following in common: A practitioner with inadequate training or questionable credentials A facility that is not properly staffed or equipped My advice to all patients is to seek only board-certified plastic surgeons who perform their procedures in fully accredited... more
John LoMonaco, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brain Dead After Liposuctioning

First, liposuctioning is a very common and very safe procedure if done correctly by a board certified plastic surgeon. Even under the best conditions complications can occur. If you read the news reports on the internet about this case several red flags come up immediately: 1. This was done at a Medispa 2. This was done by a occupational therapy doctor, and NOT by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon People need to do their homework and choose wisely when considering cosmetic procedures.... more
John P. Stratis, MD

Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon
+1

Risks of Liposuction under local anesthesia?

Hi there- Without knowing more details about the patient and surgery you refer to, it is very difficult to know exactly what might have happened... I can tell you that there was recently a patient death here in Florida during Smart Lipo under local anesthesia (possible we're talking about the same case).... This patient died as a result of Lidocaine toxicity- a situation in which she was administered excessive amounts of numbing medicine during the procedure in an attempt to make her comfortable more
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Factors in operative death

I do not know of this case but there are too many potential factors that might have contributed to operative death. It would be irresponsible speculation to try to blame it on something specific. Morbidity and mortality can occur in any medical endeavor and the important thing is to be made aware of the risks and to carefully consider the benefits any treatment will provide. Unfortunate events can happen to any patient and any surgeon, but choosing your surgeon wisely will limit your risks.... more
Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

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