Police investigate woman’s death after cosmetic procedure | Minas Gerais

Woman dies after procedure to lift her buttocks in BH

Police investigate the death of a 61-year-old woman after undergoing an aesthetic procedure that promised to lift her buttocks. Laudelina Gomes Machado died on March 7th in Corpomed aesthetic clinic, located in the Prado neighborhoodin the West Region of Belo Horizonte.

The substance used in the procedure was PMMA, acronym for polymethyl methacrylate. It is used for fillers in facial and body aesthetic treatments, especially for gluteal augmentation. Nonetheless, its composition can cause inflammatory reactions which, in turn,can lead to deformities and necrosis of the tissues where it was applied (read more below).

The procedure carried out in Laudelina was carried out by doctor Adelmo de Araújo Monteiro. On his professional website, he presents himself as specialist in aesthetic medicine with over 40 years of experience. However, There is no record of this specialization at the Regional Council of Medicine (CRM-MG). The entity is monitoring the case with the Civil Police.

By note, doctor Adelmo’s defense stated that the product is, indeed, safe, and that the reports registered with the police only deal with the victims’ version, may contain weaknesses (read more below).

According to the police report, Laudelina’s procedure was scheduled in the morning. The doctor himself told the police that applied anesthesia to the patient is that, after the procedureshe got up from the stretcher, but reported that she was sleepy. Then she vomited, urinated and fell to the floor..

A cardiologist, who was also at the clinic, helped with resuscitation maneuvers and keeping the patient’s airways clear. The professionals tried to revive Laudelina until the Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu) arrived, but she could not resist and died at the scene.

The victim’s son, Josué Machado, said that the mother had no history of health problems and was physically active.

Laudelina found the clinic’s profile on social media and he had already held three sessions, the fourth — and last — was on March 7, when he died. The amount paid by Laudelina in the last session was R$ 12 thousand.

“What really made me very uncomfortable is that this doctor was doing lives on social media the next day, selling his product as if nothing had happened. As if my mother hadn’t passed away in his office,” said Josué to g1. The doctor denies having responsibility for what happened.

“The problems reported by some patients, trying to blame him, are actually the application of industrial silicone in a previous procedure, carried out with other professionals. It turns out that every aesthetic procedure, no matter how simple, has risks of complications, especially when the use of anesthetic is necessary. Dr. Adelmo confirms his commitment and seriousness to his patients, making himself available for whatever is needed.”

Nursing technician Rosana Duarte Ferreira, aged 33, said she spent more than four months without walking after undergoing the same procedure at Adelmo’s clinic, called “Class A Butt” The case is in court and is being processed in the 26th Civil Court of the district of Belo Horizonte.

Rosana considers herself a vain woman who has always taken care of her health. She sought out the Corpomed clinic with the aim of improving her self-esteem.

In June 2021, the patient underwent the intervention. However, in less than a week, the technician noticed a unusual swelling in the legs and severe pain in the thigh area.

“At no time did he make the risks clear, what could happen, he just stated that I would have a ‘class A’ butt. I didn’t approach any problem, because he gave me a lot of security. The search for the perfect body leaves we were blind, but I trusted [nele] “, said Rosana.

The patient stated that the doctor said the discomfort was normal and that there was nothing to worry about.

About a month after the aesthetic procedure, Rosana looked for a cardiovascular surgeon who confirmed that the product used on the buttocks had traveled down both legs. With a fixed substance in the body, no other specialist agreed to work on Rosana’s case, due to the risk of complications. The amount paid to the Corpomed clinic was also R$12 thousand.

At the clinic, Rosana questioned what were the products used, since it is also in the health sector. She stated that Adelmo applied for 300ml in each gluteand did not provide guidance on specific post-intervention care.

She got in touch with the doctor again, talking about the severe pain and redness in her legs, and emphasized that it would normally only be a nuisance in the buttocks, but the professional once again stated that it was “normal”. Additionally, she felt an accumulation of fluid in both her thighs and calves.

The nursing technician saw a worsening of the condition and felt the liquid harden. It was then that she stopped walking and had to stay away from work for more than six months.

Rosana filed a police report three months after the application, — in September 2021 — when she saw that the professional would not provide the assistance that would help her “fix the error”, according to her.

“This left marks on my self-esteem. I can only train in leggings, I have a thigh complex. I did it to improve, not to get worse. Apart from the psychological damage, this issue still makes me feel bad and anxious to this day”, said Rosana.

Another patient, aged 28, also reported the doctor. This time the case was in 2022. She said she had a fever and inflammation after the first PMMA application session.

Sought by the report, the Civil Police did not respond about the results of the 2021 and 2022 investigations or whether the doctor was heard.

• Lipodystrophy correction (change in the body that leads to the concentration of fat in some parts of the body) caused by the use of antiretrovirals in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
• Facial and body volumetric correctionwhich is a way of treating changes, such as irregularities and depressions in the body, making the filling in affected areas through bioplasty.

According to the manufacturer’s guidelines, the dose used is that “strictly necessary for the correction of integumentary or skin defects“, and depends on medical evaluation.

The Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP) does not recommend the use of PMMA in aesthetic procedures, since the The product is made of plastic and, once in the body, is irreversible.

Plastic surgery specialist, Maria Roberta Martins, from SBCPexplained that despite the product having permission from Anvisa, the Aesthetic use can lead to complications that cannot be removed from the body. The material is more attractive to clinics, and frequently used, because of its low cost, compared to biodegradable products.

O PMMA It is also not recommended for subcutaneous use, that is, in syringe applications. Patients should note that, unlike the active hyaluronic acid, for example, polymethyl methacrylate does not dissolve in the body. If the procedure is not successful or the client is dissatisfied with the result, its removal is almost impossible.

“We receive many cases of complications, the most tragic of which include necrosis and even kidney failure. When we try to remove it, the product has already integrated into delicate areas, such as the nerves. So, we would need to remove part of it to reduce the size”, said the specialist .

In the case of applications in the gluteal region, an intervention known as bioplasty, the amount of dose used can also be a worrying factor. By Anvisa, the recommendation is 120 ml per applicationbut this amount may vary from patient to patient.

In addition to choosing the safe product with the possibility of reversalthe Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery warns about choosing a health professional, because it is not enough to provide good care and have a successful procedure, the doctor also needs to be able to care for the patient if the intervention wrong.

“It is essential to choose wisely [do profissional]because if the procedure presents any complications, it [médico] Will you be able to treat me? That’s what we have to ask when choosing a professional”, stated Maria Roberta.