Ninety three Americans died after undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic since 2009, with many of the recent deaths involving the Brazilian butt lift, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
The number of deaths after cosmetic surgery among U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic increased from a mean of 4.1 per year during 2009–2018 to a mean of 13.0 during 2019–2022 with a peak of 17 in 2020, the study shows.
All but one death occurred in women, and the mean age was 40. (The number of deaths related to cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republicvaried from one to 17 per year, with the peak in 2020.
Moreover, a review of the 29 deaths during 2019–2020 showed that the deaths were associated with fat or venous thromboembolism. A high proportion of patients who died had risk factors for embolism, including obesity and having multiple procedures performed during the same operation, the researchers report.
“These risk factors might have been mitigated or prevented with improved surgical protocols and postoperative medical care, including prophylactic measures against venous thromboembolism, the researchers conclude.
Specifically, preoperative ascertainment of patient risk for venous thromboembolism should be the expected standard of care during the preoperative evaluation, they note. This can be accomplished using validated risk-assessment models (e.g. Caprini score) to help guide and incorporate the appropriate use of mechanical methods such as early ambulation or compression devices and chemoprophylaxis to protect against periprocedural venous thromboembolism.
“U.S. citizens interested in receiving elective cosmetic surgery outside the United States should consult with their health care professionals regarding their risk for adverse outcomes,” the researchers write. “Public health authorities can support provider education on the importance of preoperative patient evaluation and the potential danger of performing multiple cosmetic procedures in one operation.”
