A man who was left with a virtually useless nose after a string of 24 operations says his cosmetic surgeon is responsible for his current state. He has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the surgeon for allegedly performing operations he was not qualified to do, causing the man’s nose to become little more than grafted-on skin and cartilage with no ability to breath without pain.
The patient first went to the surgeon after deciding to have his nostrils evened out. The surgeon promised him that he could fix his mildly asymmetrical nose and that he would be healed within two days.
At first, the surgery appeared to be a success but the man developed breathing problems. He went back to the surgeon who tried several times to correct the issue. The defendant performed eight revision surgeries over 17 months but the plaintiff was forced to wear tubes in his nostrils part of the time to stretch them out.
After four years, the patient returned to the surgeon seeking a permanent fix. The doctor performed 14 more operations trying to rebuild the patient’s nose. But he was unable to do so.
The man’s current nose is a lump of skin and cartilage with a tube allowing him to breathe. He says his breathing is painful and he has contemplated suicide.
One issue in this medical malpractice case is the difference between cosmetic surgeons and plastic surgeons. The defendant is a cosmetic surgeon but may have lacked the training and experience to perform the revision surgeries he attempted. The plaintiff may argue that the surgeon should have referred him to a plastic surgeon who had experience with the types of procedures he attempted himself.
Source: ABC News, “Nose Job Nightmare: Man Sues After 24 Surgeries,” Katie Moisse, June 12, 2013
