Liposuction Leaves Woman Brain Dead

(CBS)  A mother of three is in a coma after having a routine laser liposuction procedure at Weston Med Spa in Weston, Fla. Her devastated family is asking what went wrong.

According to CBS News correspondent Michelle Gielan, laser liposuction is practiced in many plastic surgery offices across the country.

"It's a procedure that's so safe that the government allows us to do in an office setting under local anesthesia, without all the regulatory equipment that an anesthesiologist would require," said Dr. Jason Shapiro, an aesthetic doctor.

Then how did Rohi Kah-Orukotan, a 37-year-old mother of three end, up on life support after this minimally invasive procedure?

Brian Bieber, attorney for Dr. J. Omar Brito, who performed the liposuction on Kah-Orukotan at his Florid meidical spa, said in a statement, "All pre-op procedures were followed. The surgery ran smoothly until the end when there was a complication. The doctor did nothing wrong and we are cooperating fully with the investigation."

But her family wants answers as to how this could have gone so wrong.

"We just want the whole world to know that Rohi is a very sweet lady and we just hate to lose her and for those kids to be without their mother," said
Oking Habib, the victim's uncle.

The family has hired an attorney amid allegations that the Weston Med Spa is not licensed to perform liposuction.

"Something went horribly wrong, because a 37-year-old healthy woman doesn't go in for these types of procedures that were advertised on their Web site and come out brain dead," said attorney Michael Freeland.

The lawyer for the victim's family suspects complications arose from the use of the anesthetic lidocaine.

[gramto8]

I suppose you are all aware that when a person loses weight, the fat cells in their body merely shrink. They do not disappear. Those cells are there ready to regain size, and they do so more easily than when they were originally formed.
Liposuction or open surgery to remove the fat are the only ways to remove the fat cells and thereby guarantee that they will not be available to refill.

[pjo5110]

I completely agree with mswolfestock. Why did she risk her life to have a little fat suctioned out of her bottom. Our society has been conditioning people to strive for "absolute perfection" for years. Yes in a sense her own vanity cost her her life, but its also societies fault for driving people to have cosmetic procedures for a perfection that really doesn't exist.

[lingualingua]

It is truly disheartening to see the insensitive and blatantly ignorant remarks of some of the individuals below. This woman, for whatever reason, chose to spend her money on self-improvement. She obviously did not intend to endanger herself or abandon her family. Regardless of her race or political affiliation, she is a human being first and foremost. It's sad to see people lack sympathy for death, whatever the cause may be. Nearly 75% of the celebrities idolized have had physical alterations or drug addictions, and some of the same people commenting below are avid followers and fans. Let's not be hypocrites---or racist.
Everyone be blessed.

[rf35]

Well, which is it? Brain dead or coma? There is a difference. People come out of comas, but brain death is permanent. I wonder what little tid-bit of information the doctor wasn't given about her medical history that might have changed the outcome. Healthy 37 year olds don't just drop dead after an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthetics. Then there is the possibility she had a reaction to the lidocaine. I've heard of similar deaths attributed to Novocain; people dying during routine dental work. No drug is 100% safe for 100% of people 100% of the time. Many people are willing to risk paying the ultimate price for their vision beauty.

[babooph]

Is that what happened to Rush....?

[retiredgustav]

How sad!

[PlasticSurgeonsSociety]

Liposuction is plastic surgery - which is real surgery. Having a procedure such as this is an important decision that should be undertaken seriously. Patients should be sure their plastic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS)and any surgery performed under anesthesia, other than minor local anesthesia and/or minimal oral tranquilization, should be done in a facility that is accredited by a national or state recognized accrediting agency/organization such as the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)and licensed by the state.

All members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons are board-certified by the ABPS and are required to perform procedures in accredited facilities. If you are interested in plastic surgery, visit www.plasticsurgery.org for accurate information on all procedures, patients safety tips, and a referral service to find and ASPS Member Surgeon in your area.

[erasmus111]

"It's a procedure that's so safe that the government allows us to do in an office setting under local anesthesia, without all the regulatory equipment that an anesthesiologist would require,"


That's just BULLCRAP. Plastic surgeons say that lyposuction can cause problems.

[rondivoo]

This has happened to others in a hospital setting. If I'm not mistaken, the wife of James Brown died after having liposuction.