When people opt to have cosmetic surgery, they are typically completely focused on the end result and their ultimate happiness. What they are not considering are the risks associated with any surgery, and liposuction, although a relatively common plastic surgery procedure, is actually quite dangerous. Additionally, liposuction malpractice is common. As the cosmetic surgery industry has grown, both good and bad doctors have gone into practice.
During liposuction, a physician puts the patient under general anesthesia and then shoves a rod through the tissue, dislodging and suctioning out fat from beneath the skin. This procedure is performed on more than 400,000 people each year and has a mortality rate of approximately 1 in 5,000 – which is high in comparison with other cosmetic surgery procedures.
Problems during the liposuction surgery itself are relatively uncommon, but it is known that having the procedure in a doctor’s office, without the necessary life resuscitation equipment nearby is risky behavior. Remember that you will be under general anesthesia and some people react poorly, with dropping heart rate and blood pressure. If the cosmetic surgeon is not experienced, there is also risk of organ perforation, so there should be a solid plan in place for additional care if it’s needed. If you plan to go home immediately after the surgery and you won’t have a doctor or nurse monitoring your care, you are also taking a risk.
There are no guarantees with plastic surgery. The liposuction may create an aesthetic problem, or in some cases a long term health issue. There are a number of known liposuction complications, including pulmonary thrombo-embolism (known as a blood clot in the lung), infections (at the tissue level or beneath), visceral and organ perforations, internal bleeding and seroma (an accumulation of fluid beneath the skin). All of these plastic surgery malpractice complications can cause long term health problems, scarring and even death, so they should not be taken lightly nor ignored when making a decision to undergo liposuction.
When you are looking for a qualified plastic surgeon, you should make sure they are, in fact, qualified and that there are no outstanding complaints against them. Try to find a physician with a successful practice and check the validity of their medical license, which is a matter of public record. A responsible physician will make you aware of all of the risks involved in the surgery and they should be able to inform you of how they will be able to treat you if a complication arises during the surgery or afterwards.
Ultimately, if you do have a problem with your liposuction procedure, whether it is a bad cosmetic result that requires re-operation or long term health issues as a result of a complication, you should consult a plastic surgery malpractice attorney as soon as possible. Knowing your rights and making sure that your health is secure should be your first priority. Liposuction malpractice does occur and people have to live with bad results and major health issues for the rest of their lives – some without redress or compensation to help with their care.