A string of Miami plastic surgery clinics owned by the same man has left eight women dead within the last six years. "I had to learn to walk all over again.". New information about a woman's death after a popular plastic surgery procedure reveals that she died of the same problem that led to the deaths of more than a dozen other women in recent. At Miami Plastic Surgery, our mission is to help our patients reach their cosmetic and aesthetic goals by providing an array of surgical, nonsurgical, and skin care services to help patients look and feel their best. Dolls Plastic Surgery is the right place. It is alleged that Labrador runs his clinics as a business, attempting to get the most money out of his patients by neglecting standard procedure. December 15, 2017 / 6:10 PM / CBS Miami. They see the prices and think that they will have a good result, but they pay the final price,"says Pazmio. Gosha said her mom went to another surgeon in Miami beforehand, who refused to operate on her because of her BMI. , attracted by the huge offer, tempting prices and payment facilities. The autopsy showed Thompson died from multiple clots of fat blocking the primary blood vessels in her lungs: a fat embolism. 250, Miami, Florida (67) Reviews About Avana Plastic Surgery is dedicated to providing the ultimate experience in cosmetic surgery. I dont see the need for it, Thompson said. Government inspectorscited theclinicsfor serious violations, including dirty operating rooms andsales agents with no medical licenses determining the appropriate surgeries for patients. I never thought that my daughter was going to come and die in this country, "says Gonzlez, who arrived from Cuba three years ago.". Basham remembers dialing 911 and then being allowed into a back room, where she found Call in a bed, paleand unresponsive. The lawyer Percy Martinez, expert in cases of medical malpractice, indicates that at least ten cases of this type arrive to him the week, but prefers not to take them, because they know that it has all the to lose. The report further indicates that the alleged cause of the incident was due to hypotension, decreased heart rate and bradycardia.. "If they are professionals, doctors, the health department will be able to regulate them and they will be more careful because there will be a risk on that license. They arrived there because a friend of the family had operated there and everything had gone well. Dailymail.com Reporter In the end they live off their license," Flores said. The technique involves removing fat from an area of the body, to pass it to the buttocks area. This is not a state problem. At the urging of the Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons, Sobel stepped forward with yet another bill in 2016, asking lawmakers to require background checks on owners. Since 1989, David J. Neals domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. It supports any regulations "that would improve quality of care and patient safety.". For years, the states political body has resisted new regulations in health care facilities, even after deaths and injuries in assisted-living facilities. He is among Best Plastic Surgeons in Miami. Omulepu told USA TODAY the two women who suffered perforated organs were the "only serious complications of my career.". Berta Ledn, a woman from Miami, underwent in 2017 a liposuction type 'Tummy tuck' and a neck surgery, which was complicated and left completely disfigured. No one anticipated that non-physicians would take over clinics and be largely immune to these good laws. An investigation by USA Today and the Naples Daily News found that the cosmetic clinics, all owned by Dr Ismael Labrador, have also left nearly a dozen women with critical complications, including three with punctured internal organs that forced them to rush to the hospital for help. Medical studies have been published nearly every year since 2015 documenting the dangers of doctors injecting fat too deep into that danger zone. The psychiatrist selected by the state to conduct the exams challenged in court documents the use of medical interventions for trans children and adolescents. "They had a lock on the door in the recovery (room)," she said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A member of the DermCare family of companies. "In many cases, the doctors who perform cosmetic procedures go to a course for a weekend and begin to operate,"warns Pazmio. The south Florida clinics employ doctors who are not board-certified in plastic surgery and are known to market themselves aggressively on social media to younger woman, especially Hispanics and African Americans, at half the price of traditional plastic surgeons. "Any doctor can make a face, eyelids, a lipo in his office. One of them earned $33,000 after carrying out more than two dozen surgeries in five days, according to a 2014 lawsuit. Do I wish it didnt happen? In his portal, Valls does not appear among those 11 surgeons, however, we contacted the center to request information as potential patients, and they assured us that Valls was available to perform surgeries. But disciplining the doctors hasnt stopped patients from dying. Call filed a complaint with the state but said she has not heard back in at least a year. Health care experts say a criminal history especially a conviction for financial crimes is among the most important factors in deciding who should be allowed to run a center. The danger, he says, is whenthe person doing the surgery drills a vein under the muscle, causing the fat to enter the blood vessels and travel to vital organs suchas the brain, lung or heart, causing thrombi that kill patients. The Univision team visited four of these centers covertly, requesting information about the surgeries. According to the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), between 2012 and 2017 the number of procedures across the country increased by 135%. Before Hernandez began serving a 15-month prison term, he was granted permission to keep running Spectrum while on supervised release. The department's available database does not have information on cosmetic surgeries because they are not categorized within a profession that regulates the department. With tears in her eyes, a middle-aged mother recalled the daughter whowantedtobe anursing assistant. Sen. Flores is taking no chances, making sure her colleagues understand the stakes. NBC 6 Investigators found Walker is one of more than a dozen women who have died the same way in recent years after undergoing a BBL. Among the violations: missing medical records and patients paying for surgeries before they see a doctor. If it had happened in Cuba, but here with so much technology, here everything is perfect. Four of the women died after the doctors mistakenly injected body fat deep in their muscles and tore the veins during a Brazilian butt lift procedure. That same year, state agents inspected Strax and cited it for serious violations, including medical records that were incomplete nonexistent in some cases and staff members failing to show they regularly monitored patients under anesthesia. According to USA Today, The Florida Department of Health has investigated at least six deaths and severe injuries at Labrador's clinics. The autopsynotes that the woman had two perforated veins, where fat could enter and then traveled to the lung and brain, causing at least one thrombus, and causing brain death. A married mother of two died after undergoing a popular cosmetic surgery in Miami. An autopsy showed she died from a combination of drugs prescribed for the surgery. The doctor in the 2021 death of a Brazilian butt lift patient at a Hialeah office plastic surgery center is no longer a doctor after giving up his license days before an investigation into the death ended. NBC 6 asked New Lifes attorney about the autopsy report's findings. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. By law, no doctor in the state is required to have insurance against risk. Lollobrigida had surgery in September to repair a thigh bone broken in a fall. They also promote breast augmentation for four installments of $ 20 per month, also funded for several years. Under Florida law, their owners must not be doctors, so FDOH has no authority to regulate them. There is a gap. At Strax Rejuvenation near Fort Lauderdale, surgeries turned deadly nearly every year. One woman, who left Spectrum Aesthetics with a stray surgical sponge sewn into her abdomen, said she would have canceled her tummy tuck if she had known the operators had been convicted of defrauding Medicare of $1 million. Centers such as 'New Life', where the daughter of Arelys Gonzlez died, appear without complaints on the health department's website. Kellyvoluntarily withdrew his license to practice in October 2018. In spite of the sequels left to Berta Ledn by surgeries, she never received compensation for the physical or emotional damages. Under Florida law, their owners must not be doctors, so FDOH has no authority to regulate them. "Anyone can have a center of this type, and it does not have sanitary regulations because its owner is not a doctor," Dr. Pazmio insists. 80% of the deceased women cited in this work traveled to South Florida from other states or countries, attracted by the huge offer, tempting prices and payment facilities. Rayner Aguiar, 36, took over the center in Aventura after he was convicted of falsifying paperwork to inflate the value of a home in 2008. Honest, ethical treatment of every patient. NBC 6 reached out to the owner of Chasing Dreams, and she declined to comment. Many of the fatalities were not the result of unavoidable surgical complications, but of serious mistakes, the report says. Dr. Wolf and everyone in his office are very professional and make you feel like family. Lawmakers removed a mandate that the state screen all plastic surgery center owners for criminal recordsbecause ofconcerns over thecost ofcarrying out thechecks. When he was arrested, he used the proceedsfrom his cosmetic surgery clinic to pay his bail, court records show. Breast Augmentation; Breast Lift; Breast Reduction; The third time, her heart stopped for good. He returned to work and five weeks laterperformed the surgery at Seduction that led to the patients death by fat embolism. Ultimately, the medical board revoked Omulepus license in 2017 over the cases of the punctured organs. This story was originally published January 4, 2023 11:01 AM. A group of Miami plastic surgery clinics called Jolie Plastic Surgery lost eight patients in a spate of unprecedented casualties over the past six years, an investigation by USA Today . Although these sites appear to be clinical, they are not. In the end, the operators who benefited most from the discount clinics faced no repercussions. Inside one of the Safest Clinics in Miami, Dolls plastic surgery, there is a team of professionals committed to guiding you through the process, from selecting the appropriate procedure to the best postoperative experience. Labrador said that the doctors are responsible for patient care before, during and after surgery and not the clinic owners. In September, Nicola Mason, the 46-year-old Maryland woman, alleged in a complaint to the health department that Omulepu performed the wrong surgery on her a tummy tuck instead of a butt lift leaving her with unsightly scars. Through all of it, the clinic never shut its doors. We see hundreds of cases like that, but there is no way to recover money," he insists. "I'm not interested in money, I'm interested in the guilty party paying to do justice to my daughter's death. The amount of joy, confidence, and freedom I now feel makes me forever grateful for him. Univision asked to speak with Orlando Llorente, the certified surgeon who operated Galvn, but he did not accept an interview. "It's a dangerous procedure.". According to this research, in the last five years,14 women have died after undergoing cosmetic surgeries in South Florida. Labrador has argued that doctors are responsible for patient deaths, not clinic owners. Now injecting Daxxify at Miami Plastic Surgery! 305 PLASTIC SURGERY - 54 Photos & 95 Reviews - 564 SW 42nd Ave, Coral Gables, FL - Yelp Restaurants Auto Services 305 Plastic Surgery 95 reviews Unclaimed Plastic Surgeons Edit Closed See hours Write a review Add photo Photos & videos See all 54 photos About the Business Location & Hours 564 SW 42nd Ave Coral Gables, FL 33134 West Flagler Centers such as 'New Life', where the daughter of Arelys Gonzlez died, appear without complaints on the health department's website. An autopsy showed she died of a fat embolism after Dr James McAdoo injected her body fat into a deep vein that doctors are meant to avoid. They are not women, they are mothers, from outside Florida who find these clinics on the Internet where there is no more information. State Senator Anitere Flores acknowledged gaps in the legislation during an interview with Univision as part of this investigation. Tracking complaints is an almost impossible mission. Here are five Miami plastic surgery deaths caused by negligent surgeons: Heather Meadows One of the most publicized cases of plastic surgery deaths within the past year was that of Heather Meadows, a 29-year-old mom who died due to complications related to her liposuction and Brazilian Butt Lift. Experts agree that patients are obliged to investigate in whose hands they put their lives. "There is a more dangerous surgery than all the others, the Brazilian Butt Lift, and here in Miami more people have died than in any other part of the country," Pazmio explains. Four times, legislators tried. Walker's daughter said knowing what killed her mother is just one step towards getting answers. The staff at the clinic rushed her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. In Florida, one of the nations top destinations for plastic surgery, a felony conviction can bar someone from operating a massage parlor or a pawn shop. And I said, Are you sure? They never envisioned that private investors would jump into the industry, too. Woman, 66, has been missing for weeks, Miami cops say, Date night: Ivanka Trump posts picture with Jared Kushner at this Miami hot spot, Some health risks from climate change in Florida may surprise. With her mother outside in the waiting room, Call went into surgery at about 9 a.m. ETCO2 still was not present at that point. One of those clinics was Strax, which opened in 2004 and became the first of thelarge, high-volume clinics that can create unique risks for patients. A manager of the clinic, Evelyn Parrado, was granted permission to run the cosmetic surgery center during the day while spending her nights under house arrest on the felony charge. End-tidal carbon dioxide is the level of carbon dioxide that is released at the end of an exhaled breath, Capnography for Monitoring End-Tidal CO2 in Hospital and Pre-hospital Settings explains. Is it tragic? Ranika Hall, 25, was the youngest victim who died after surgery. You're the first one in,' '' she recalled. as it happened to Adianet Galvn. Fatalities. Arnaldo Valls, the doctor who operated on London, had only taken a three-day course to do liposuction and another one on fat-transfer gluteal augmentation,according to the Florida Department of Health(FDOH), which took 8 days to complete. That is the only thing that will give me peace. Miami Plastic Surgery Center. Sep 9, 2016. Heres what to know, Why theres a recall of Epinephrine (L-Adrenaline) and what you need to do, Whats the COVID risk in Miami and the rest of Florida? "It was crazy to see the amount of people coming out in one day," she said. Our aesthetics team are experts in high end MedSpa services such as injectables, laser treatments, and non-surgical face & body contouring. "They use that as an excuse even when people die.". Her son, Daryl Thompson, saidhe didnt know his mother had booked a procedureuntil she arrived in Florida from the Bahamaswhere she lived withhis adult brother. Miami Life Plastic S urgery is minutes away from Miami International Airport (MIA), highly rated hotels, and popular retailers are nearby. In all places they assured that none of the surgeries involved risks. Orlando Llorente, the doctor who operated it, assured Gonzlez that her daughter would be fine. The popularity of the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) or lifting of the buttocks by fat transfer has skyrocketed in recent years. Its outrageous, she said. According to the Broward County medical examiner'sinvestigativereport, Christina Thompsons heart stopped twice at the hospital and she was resuscitated. He said Masoninitially signed up for a butt lift, but when he examined her, he determined she was not a good candidate, and they agreed she would get a tummy tuck instead, his surgery records show. A plastic surgery at Your Cosmetic Surgery & Spa in Hialeah had fatal consequences. Im not going to say its a relief because its nowhere near a relief to me, but I appreciate the fact the fact that we know the truth of what really happened, Gosha said. At Miami Plastic Surgery, we take pride in helping each patient find the right procedure for her or his unique goals. The clinic is one of four run by Seduction, where Aguiars wife, Gretel Jardon, is president of the family business. #am-new-social-unique-id-8090 .am-social-svg {width:30px; height:30px}#am-new-social-unique-id-8090 .am-social-svg .svg-shape {display:none}#am-new-social-unique-id-8090 .am-social-svg .svg-shape {fill: transparent} Labrador himself was arrested in 2007 after undercover officers found unlicensed doctors performing operations at the clinics. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day. The report said atropine was given via IV. An autopsy report from the Medical Examiners Office shows the cause of death was a pulmonary fat embolism and ruled her death an accident. "This happens because there are doctors who use dangerous techniques and do not understand anatomy, because they are not plastic surgeons." She was working as a general practice physician inlate July 2015 when she traveledto Florida for her secondsurgery. The profile shows privileges at Larkin Community Hospital Miami, which is in South Miami, and Larkin Community Hospitals Palm Springs Campus, the latter of which is where the tragedy ended. Alejandro Lpez is not a doctor and owns a center where no deaths have been reported, but he deals with the bad reputation of the industry and he himself recognizes that the law is weak. Valls is forbidden to do that technique, but continues practicing others in the center Jolie, who did not have any sanctions for the death of London. If you are reading this and live in Miami, you already experience the glorious weather and gorgeous beaches that our area is known for. Discount surgery centers founded by felons leave two women scarred. Courtesy. We believe that plastic surgery empowers and transforms lives. For Dr. Christina Thompson, thecosmetic surgery that resulted in her deathwasnt her first with Strax Rejuvenation near Fort Lauderdale. State inspectors have cited Strax's two clinics more than 45 times in the past six years for violations that included dirty operating areas, cracked and worn equipment, and no records to show doctors examined patients to clear them for surgeries. Heather Meadows, a 29-year-old single mother, went to one of Labrador's clinic in 2016 for a cosmetic surgery. To repair a thigh bone broken in a bed, paleand unresponsive more than two surgeries! Face & body contouring health has investigated at least six deaths and injuries assisted-living! Immune to these good laws breast augmentation for four installments of $ 20 per month also... Severe injuries at Labrador 's clinics 's findings live off their license, Flores... Repair a thigh bone broken in a fall showed she died from multiple clots of fat blocking the blood... 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