Tasmanian women got boob jobs while awake and ended up with infections after operations by shonky surgeon

A dodgy breast implant surgeon has been struck off after he operated on two Tasmanian women without general anaesthetic, sitting them up during surgery to ask if their breasts were big enough. LATEST >>

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A SHONKY breast implant surgeon has been struck off after he operated on two Tasmanian women without general anaesthetic, sitting them up during surgery to ask if their breasts were big enough.

Rogue Sydney doctor Leslie Blackstock, who was found guilty on Wednesday of “grossly improper clinical practice”, even called one woman’s partner on FaceTime while operating.

Both women ended up at Royal Hobart Hospital with infections.

The women were two of 12 breast implant and vaginal surgery patients nationally who lodged a slew of complaints against the surgeon, who has now had his medical registration cancelled for at least seven years following a NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision.

One of the Tasmanian women was told by Dr Blackstock he’d perform the surgery under light sedation and would sit her up during the procedure “so I could look at the implants and ensure I was happy with their size”.

Les Blackstock in a YouTube video, talking about breast implants.

Then after her surgery, the woman said even though she’d been told she’d be cared for by a nurse, that didn’t happen, and she wasn’t given instructions on how to care for her wound.

Once she returned to Tasmania, the woman developed an infection during December 2016 and was admitted to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

About two weeks later, Dr Blackstock called her to say he’d replace her implant, which he did in March 2017 – in an unlicensed facility – while her breast tissue was still infected.

During the operation, the surgeon called her partner on FaceTime to get his opinion on whether he should leave her implant in place.

The woman was discharged after surgery without a covering to her wound.

Expert witness Ron Bezic criticised the doctor for failing to physically examine the woman prior to surgery, especially since she was a complex patient with implants already in place.

“He also notes that the practitioner’s conduct in asking the patient ‘what is the biggest you would go’ just before her augmentation lacked professionalism,” the tribunal said.

Emma Kelly is a Sydney woman who had breast augmentation by Les Blackstock. Picture: David Swift.

Dr Bezic also said it was “almost beyond belief” that Dr Blackstock had called the woman’s partner on FaceTime during surgery.

The other Tasmanian woman said she was referred to the doctor by her local GP after other surgeons refused to replace her current implants.

She had a phone call with the Sydney surgeon and sent him a photo of her breasts, with Dr Blackstock calling her back with the “good news” that he could operate, with the assistance of liquid Valium.

“This patient also recalled being sat up during the procedure and being asked if she wanted to go bigger,” the tribunal said.

She was allowed to fly home to Tasmania just two days later, with Dr Blackstock failing to give her post-operative care.

“Later that day the patient developed a fever, and an infection,” the tribunal said.

“The following day, she was referred by a general practitioner to Royal Hobart Hospital. Hospital staff were unsuccessful in their attempts to contact the practitioner.”

The dodgy doctor, who owned Enhance Clinic at Emu Plains, was previously convicted of a number of criminal offences by operating from an unlicensed private health facility – and fined $255,000 for doing so.

Dr Blackstock has indicated he has no intentions of returning to practising medicine.

Dr Les Blackstock. Image taken from Enhance Clinic’s website.

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