Five women are leading a class action against Australia’s largest cosmetic surgery provider
A COSMETIC surgeon who continued with a breast implant procedure after his patient went into cardiac arrest has been strongly reprimanded by health authorities.
NSW
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- Woman rushed to hospital after breast augmentation complications
- Amy Lee Rickhuss may have suffered anaesthetic overdose
A COSMETIC surgeon who decided to continue with a breast implant procedure at The Cosmetic Institute after his patient went into cardiac arrest on the operating table has been strongly reprimanded by health authorities.
Doctor Niroshan Sivathasan left the institute after the incident involving patient Amy Rickhuss, but was in Sydney this week spruiking injectable facial fillers at a cosmetic surgery conference.
A Professional Standards Committee Inquiry found him guilty of unsatisfactory conduct after the Health Care Complaints Commission brought a complaint against him.
Dr Sivathasan decided to continue implanting a second silicon implant in Ms Rickhuss during surgery at the institute’s Parramatta clinic because he thought “she may be distressed by her post-surgical appearance”.
“Dr Sivathasan demonstrated no insight into the nature of his conduct or how he failed his patient,” the committee said.
Ms Rickhuss suffered cardiac arrest during the January 2015 operation just before insertion of the second implant and doctors performed CPR on her.
Despite an ambulance arriving at 10.18am, surgery was recommenced and she did not leave The Cosmetic Institute until 11.06am, with expert witnesses giving evidence the operation should have been stopped immediately.
HUNDREDS of women who claim they were savaged by the Sydney cosmetic surgery clinic are lining up for a record lawsuit, alleging they suffered heart attacks, punctured lungs, horrific scarring or lost the ability to breast feed.
The case, filed in the NSW Supreme Court, alleges The Cosmetic Institute breached its duty of care to patients by using a “one size fits all” approach to breast augmentations — where an identical surgical technique was used regardless of a woman’s size or breast shape.
“The Cosmetic Institute has left a trail of victims who were promised top-quality cosmetic surgery in a highly advanced medical setting, but instead have suffered serious injuries and ongoing pain and suffering as a result of their treatment,” Turner Freeman partner Sally Gleeson, who is representing the women, said.
The company is accused of failing to engage adequately qualified, trained, experienced and accredited surgeons.
It also allegedly failed to properly train and supervise surgeons, to properly supervise anaesthetists, to implement adequate infection control procedures, and to perform procedures in accordance with the requisite standards.
The class action covers women who underwent breast augmentation surgery at TCI premises in Bondi Junction, Parramatta, and on the Gold Coast, along with those conducted by TCI at Concord and Holroyd Private Hospitals.
In a Statement of Claim, TCI is accused of having inadequate infection control procedures in place, lacking the capacity to access urgent surgical or medical assistance in the event of emergencies, and having no legal capacity to administer general anaesthetic at several of its facilities.
The case alleges that TCI’s “one size fits all” approach put patients at increased risk of complications including: malpositioning or ripping of implants; excessive tissue trauma; haemorrhage; infection; scarring; and anaesthetic toxicity leading to cardiac arrest, pneumothorax and death.
“These women believed that the doctors treating them were surgeons who possessed the requisite skills and training to carry out these operations, but the reality of the situation was quite different,” Ms Gleeson said.
OTHER HEALTH NEWS: RU OK DAY
“As a result, these women have suffered a range of complications including cardiac arrests from toxic doses of anaesthesia, lung punctures, infections, and physical disfigurement. In many cases, they have needed to undergo a number of additional surgeries to rectify the damage.
“These women also share remarkably common experiences about the conduct of TCI, including the inadequacy of their treatment and attempts by the company to blame the women’s own anatomy for any poor outcomes.
“Every patient deserves competent treatment and follow up care. This class action is about delivering justice for this large group of women who continue to suffer from the impact of TCI’s failures to appropriately and safely carry out these procedures.”
The Cosmetic Institute has issued a statement about the court action.
“We will not be discussing legal matters with the media,” the company said in a written statement.
“Should this matter proceed, we will be defending any allegations made against The Cosmetic Institute.”
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