Many patients undergo plastic surgery in hope of positive results, and many accomplish them. Unfortunately, however, complications do arise for a number of patients. If you or someone close to you was injured during liposuction surgery, you need to reach out to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who can assess the merits of your case. At Arfaa Law Group, we are committed to holding negligent medical professionals accountable for the harm that they cause.
Liposuction refers to a surgical procedure in which excess fat from under the skin is removed through a small incision and vacuum suctioning. The goal of the procedure is to remove excess fat from the human body and change the body’s shape. Liposuction can be performed on a number of body parts, such as the abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, chin, and upper arms.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there was continued growth in cosmetic procedures during 2015. Since 2000, overall cosmetic procedures have risen by 115 percent. The top five cosmetic surgical procedures performed in 2015 included 1) breast augmentation; 2) liposuction; 3) nose reshaping; 4) eyelid surgery; and 5) tummy tuck. In total, there were 222,051 liposuction procedures that year, a five percent increase from 2014 but a 37 percent decrease from the year 2000. Liposuction is one of the most dangerous types of plastic surgeries a person can elect to have. A study conducted by two prominent California plastic surgeons estimated that the death rate from liposuction was one in 5,000, a rate almost 20 times higher than that of other forms of elective cosmetic surgery.
Since liposuction is an inherently risky procedure, physicians must take great care when performing the surgery. If a physician’s error or carelessness caused your liposuction injuries, that physician will likely be liable in a medical malpractice claim. Medical malpractice takes place when a medical professional causes an injury or death by failing to use the level of care that an ordinarily prudent medical professional in the same specialty would have used under the same or similar circumstances. In the context of liposuction cases, a plastic surgeon’s conduct would be compared to another plastic surgeon performing the same procedure. For example, if a liposuction patient suffers organ failure due to the injection of an inappropriate amount of IV fluid, the plastic surgeon performing the procedure would likely be liable. This is because an ordinarily prudent plastic surgeon in the same situation would make sure the IV fluid is not administered in hazardous amounts.
If you or your loved one suffered adverse health consequences as a result of liposuction, you may be entitled to recover damages through a medical malpractice claim. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore surgical malpractice lawyers are well versed in this area of the law and know how to navigate these types of claims. With years of experience, we can aggressively pursue the justice and compensation you deserve in your case. To discuss your case in more detail, call us at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.
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