'Brazilian butt lift' inquest: Fat clot killed woman
Scott FranksA beautician who travelled to Turkey to have "Brazilian butt lift" (BBL) surgery died from a fat clot caused by the procedure, an inquest has heard.
Leah Cambridge, 29, from Leeds, died shortly after the surgery at a private hospital in Izmir in August 2018.
Wakefield Coroner's Court heard Ms Cambridge's mother, who had accompanied her to Turkey, was told there had been "complications" during the operation.
A provisional post-mortem examination found she died from a fat embolism.
Assistant Coroner James Hargan told the hearing: "Ms Cambridge was a 29-year-old single lady who lived with her partner in this country.
"Arrangements were made for her to have cosmetic surgery at a private hospital in Izmir, Turkey.
Mr Hargan said Ms Cambridge and her mother were picked up from an airport on 26 August and taken to the hospital, where the operation took place the next morning.
"At round about half-past one in the afternoon of that day, the deceased's mother was informed by hospital staff that there had been complications during the surgery and, sadly, Ms Cambridge had died," Mr Hargan added.
BBL is a cosmetic procedure in which fat is taken from one part of the body and then injected into the buttocks.
After Ms Cambridge's death, it was reported she underwent the £3,000 procedure at the Izmir Private Can Hospital, which boasts celebrity clientele.
The mother-of-three was said to have opted to go under the knife after growing paranoid about excess stomach weight from having children.
Her inquest was adjourned to allow further inquiries to take place.
What does buttock augmentation surgery involve?
- The procedure is used to make buttocks bigger, more rounded or lifted
- Surgeons may insert silicone-filled implants and/or inject fat transferred from other parts of the body
- In the UK it tends to cost between £2,000 and £7,000, depending on the clinic and whether additional work is needed
- After surgery, patients are likely to have some pain, bruising and discomfort over the area of the implant for a few weeks and are advised not to sit on their buttocks directly for three weeks
- Complications can include wound infection, rupture of prosthetic implants and fat embolus, where fat can enter the bloodstream and block vessels