ARGENTINEAN MODEL'S UNTIMELY DEATH- NOVEMBER 2009

In November, there was news from international media that an Argentinean model died during gluteal augmentation surgery in Brazil. This created a great deal of concern worldwide as well as among our patients locally. The facts of this event was that the patient suffered a pulmonary embolism. Although she was only 38 years old, she was still at risk for this rare event which essentially is the development of a blood clot in the calf muscles of the legs which then travel to the lungs when the patient is in lying position. 

This occurrence of the Blood Clot traveling to the lungs has essentially nothing to do with the fact that she was getting a buttock augmentation. This unfortunate event would have and could have occurred while she was shopping, going to her car and doing any other ordinary activity. Blood clots develop in the lower legs for a variety of reasons in patients and if they are the kind that does travel to the lungs, most unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done if they block the arteries in the lung vasculature. 

As such, getting a buttock augmentation per se does not lead to death necessarily and pulmonary embolism can occur during any surgical procedure and/or any other daily activity.