Breast clinic faces class action over ‘cookie-cutter’ surgery

A cosmetic surgery clinic faces a class action after women claimed breast augmentations left them with serious complications.

The NSW Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to a class ­action brought against the ­nation’s largest cosmetic surgery clinic after a group of women claimed botched breast augmentations left them with serious complications including cardiac arrest, seizures, infections, lung punctures and deformities.

The Cosmetic Institute yesterday tried to halt the legal ­action that claims the clinic breached its duty of care by providing a “cookie-cutter” approach to breast augmentations.

But judge Peter Garling gave the case the green light, ruling it was appropriate for the action to proceed to trial.

The case, which has been spearheaded by five plaintiffs, includes one woman who suffered a heart attack and needed resuscitation during a procedure.

The women are also taking action against Sydney plastic surgeon and TCI director Eddy Dona. They will allege he was ­responsible for designing, implementing and supervising the company’s approach to breast augmentation surgery, along with training the doctors who performed it. TCI and Dr Dona will defend the allegations.

The lawyer mounting the class action, Sally Gleeson, told The Australian yesterday that since launching the case last year, hundreds had come forward with horror stories.

“We’ll allege the cosmetic ­industry and Dr Eddy Dona breached their duty of care,” she said. “They essentially created a one-size-fits-all approach akin to the McDonald’s of the fast-food chain or a cookie-cutter ­approach to surgery, irrespective of the different anatomies or needs of the individual.

“We’ll allege the whole approach to surgery didn’t comply with reasonable medical practice and those deficiencies led to horrific outcomes ranging from clients who suffered cardiac arrest, seizures, lung punctures and very poor aesthetic outcomes including deformities and ongoing … psychological consequences.”

TCI operates its services at clinics and hospitals in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

The case will next go before the court on December 14.