Why cosmetic surgery complaints are on the rise
Sunday Mail (QLD)
Edition 2 - State - Main CountrySUN 02 APR 2006, Page 040 Unkindest cuts - Why cosmetic surgery complaints are on the rise By JESSICA LAWRENCE
SPECIAL REPORT
BOTCHED cosmetic procedures are on the rise as more and more Queenslanders go under the knife.
The quest for bodily perfection has seen a surge in the number of patients undergoing tummy tucks and breast, lip and nose jobs.
Queensland surgeons performed 32,000 cosmetic operations last year -- up 35 per cent from 2004.
Last year, 24 cosmetic-surgery complaints were heard by Queensland Health Rights Commissioner David Kerslake, up from 22 in 2004, and 13 in 2003. Seven have been received so far this year.
Negligence claims against plastic surgeons jumped more than 70 per cent between 1995 and 2004.
Industry experts say a rise in the number of unqualified cosmetic doctors, coupled with a boom in overseas surgery tours, are responsible for the spike.
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons spokesman Dan Kennedy said he had recently dealt with a nurse who was forced to undergo surgical repairs after a botched liposuction.
``She thought she was going to a qualified Australian plastic surgeon, and afterwards she found out he wasn't,'' said Dr Kennedy, who practises in Brisbane.
``She got her money back because she suffered quite an injury from it.''
Sydney plastic surgeon Kourosh Tavakoli said an increasing number of young women were willing to travel to Asian countries: ``I spoke to a woman recently who had travelled to Thailand for a breast augmentation and lift, only to have the implants left sitting somewhere near her collarbone.
``And I got a phone call from a girl the other day who was part of a group of 11 girls aged between 18 and 25 who were going to Thailand for surgery.
``It's half price to go over there, but there is the risk of hepatitis and HIV.
``Then you have beauty therapists in Australia using equipment they may not be equipped to deal with.''
Plastic surgeon Norman Olbourne said many clients were risking their health by flying home just days after undergoing operations in Asia, and clients hoping for cut-price medical procedures were often forced to have corrective surgery: ``I spoke to one lady from Perth who went to Thailand for a facelift and a neck lift and a breast and tummy-tuck operation. She was told she would be there for 13 days and it would cost $7000, but she was there 35 days and it cost her more than $20,000.''
The woman has had to mortgage her house to pay for corrective surgery.
``You are supposed to spend up to six weeks in hospital after a tummy tuck, but we know of people who are flying back days later.
``These sorts of tours are being promoted by travel agents and doctors, but the ones who are at risk are the patients.''
In August 2002 in Queensland, Sue Kenny had lap-band surgery -- which reduces the stomach -- to slim down her 145kg frame after failing to lose weight the old-fashioned way.
One week later Ms Kenny, 41, of Ashgrove in Brisbane, who is being represented by Brisbane lawyers Shine Roche McGowan, was rushed back to hospital after her stomach was punctured.
She spent another three months in hospital undergoing several more operations and suffered kidney failure. She now has dialysis four times a week.
``My doctors told me to get it done because I needed to lose weight for medical reasons. They told me this was a safe procedure, and if I didn't like it I could have it taken out. If I knew now what was going to happen I would never have had the operation.''
A member of the medical negligence team at Shine Roche McGowan, Alison Allysonalker, said there had been a ``definite rise in inquiries'' regarding botched cosmetic surgery, especially lap-banding: ``The more advertising there is about `what a wonderful procedure it is', the more people are going down that road thinking it's right for them. But it's not always the case.''
National head of medical negligence with law firm Slater and Gordon, Bill Madden, said patients seeking compensation could have difficulty proving they had been disfigured.
``People go in and have nose surgery and the outcome to them might seem significant because it is not a good outcome,'' he said.
``But it's not necessarily something which is going to be horrific, and when the time comes to working out financial compensation the amount might be quite modest.''
Last year The Sunday Mail reported that children as young as eight were undergoing procedures such as ear-pinning after discussions with plastic surgeons.
Dr Kennedy urged those considering plastic surgery to check the credentials of the surgeon, and make sure they belonged to an accredited organisation.
``It's also important to make sure you feel comfortable with your surgeon, and that they understand exactly what you want.''
Dr Tavakoli is an accredited Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon. Contact Dr Tavakoli today to get the right professional advise for your Cosmetic Plastic Surgery
