Hundreds of people in Illinois choose to undergo liposuction each year and expect the procedure to be safe and effective since it is such a common procedure in the U.S.
However, a number of medical malpractice cases are rising following liposuction procedures, which means patients might want to think twice before going under the knife. Patients not only need to be aware of the risks of the surgery, they also need to make sure their surgeons have not been accused of botching the procedure on other patients and that their surgeons are qualified to perform the operation.
Liposuction, though common, is still major surgery and comes with many risks, including death. Tissue trauma, infection and a risk of fat cells being carried to vital organs are only a few risks that doctors should mention to patients.
Anesthetic toxicity is another high risk, since the amount patients are given is high. Even with an attentive anesthesiologist present to monitor a patient during surgery, patients still run the risk of dying or sustaining brain damage from complications.
Although liposuction can be a routine procedure for plastic surgeons, patients should know the surgery is no safer than before. In order to make liposuction safer for patients, the medical community needs to make sure surgeons are providing nothing but quality care during every single operation and that patients understand they should only undergo the procedure if it is done by a board-certified surgeon.
Medical boards across the country should also make sure to implement strict systems for reporting malpractice to improve safety, said one doctor. Other options for improving patient safety include making patients only undergo one cosmetic procedure at a time and having a trained anesthesia practitioner present during every operation.
Source: Anesthesiology News, “As Liposuction Deaths Mount, Study Exposes Cracks in Safety,” Michael Vlessides, Oct. 3, 2012
- Our firm has experience assisting Illinois families harmed by medical malpractice, including surgical errors and anesthesia-related injuries. To learn more about our firm and practice, please visit our Will County medical malpractice page.
