Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP

Recently, a couple of events have cast light on the dangers of cosmetic surgery, hopefully giving pause to those who are considering becoming one of the nearly 12 million people who have cosmetic procedures performed in this country every year. The more public of the two, the death of a popular Florida teen during breast augmentation surgery as a result of complications during surgery. The teen, who had been looking forward to senior prom, could have suffered malignant hyperthermia during surgery, in which the body temperature spikes to 110 degrees and the heart rate increases. Sometimes this condition can be reversed if properly diagnosed quickly after onset, but in this case the doctors failed to act, bringing up the possibility of medical malpractice.

A more widespread danger is shown by the results of a recent study, which showed that methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections can follow facelift procedures. These infections can lead to hospitalization for intravenous antibiotic therapy. The study encourages doctors to prescreen candidates vulnerable to infection before agreeing to perform facelift surgeries or other soft-tissue procedures.

As suggested in an earlier entry, perhaps the best way to avoid the danger of medical malpractice is to avoid optional surgeries. If you or someone you love has already suffered the negative consequences of medical malpractice, however, your next step should be to contact the experienced medical malpractice lawyers at Pomerantz, Perlberger, and Lewis, LLP today for a free initial consultation.