Uncle Of Donda West's Surgeon Speaks Out

The uncle and mentor of the doctor who performed a tummy tuck and breast reduction on Kanye West's mother the day before she died said the surgery may have played a part in the death of Donda West but that his nephew was confident the operation was not to blame.

Dr. Pearlman D. Hicks, a board-certified plastic surgeon, said he talked to his nephew, Dr. Jan Adams, on Wednesday night.

"He did say the surgery went well. He doesn't think anything happened in surgery," Hicks said in a phone interview. "He seemed in surprisingly good spirits, and he seemed to be weathering the storm well, better than I would be."

Still, Hicks said he didn't know all that happened.

"It may turn out that he did do something wrong," said Hicks, one of three plastic surgeons in the family.

Adams worked with Hicks for two years before opening a practice in Beverly Hills to become what his uncle called "a celebrity physician."

"I didn't think it was a good idea," Hicks said. "You put yourself out for stuff like this."

Adams hosted the series "Plastic Surgery: Before and After" for five years until June. The Discovery Health cable network pulled repeats of the show Wednesday.

Adams has also appeared as an expert guest on "Oprah" and "Entertainment Tonight," sells a line of skin care products and has written two books on plastic surgery.

West, 58, had cosmetic surgery Friday in Los Angeles and went home. She died Saturday night at a hospital in Marina del Rey after she stopped breathing.

2Chief Coroner Investigator Craig Harvey said after an autopsy Tuesday that initial indications were that West died from complications from surgery, but an official cause of death won't be made for at least another 1 1/2 months pending further tests.

Adams, who confirmed through a spokesman that he had operated on West but would not give details citing doctor-patient confidentiality, previously issued a statement through a spokesman offering his sympathy to the family.

"I first want to express my deepest condolences to the West family at a very difficult time," Adams said Tuesday.

In 2001, Adams paid out more than $500,000 in lawsuits, state medical records show.

Three other malpractice cases against Adams filed in Orange County are pending.

The Medical Board of California is also investigating whether Adams' license should be revoked or suspended after two alcohol-related arrests in the past four years, records show.

"Unfortunately other things that happened in his life are coming back to bite him," Hicks said.