Investigative journalists at King 5 are uncovering serious problems at a local cosmetic clinic well known in the Seattle area because of their heavy advertising. Sono Bello, a clinic that advertises body contouring all over the Puget Sound, is denying accusations of questionable conduct documented by the news station.
King 5 presents several cases of complications, from liposuction and laser treatment to problems with anesthesia. One patient reported burns from her laser treatment; another said she experienced blood clots as a result of facial liposuction, and another patient reportedly died following a body liposuction procedure. The cause of death ruled by the medical examiner was “acute lidocaine intoxication” a rare complication that according to ASPS president Phil Haeck, “raises the question of how much lidocaine was placed into the body at the time of the surgery, and whether there was an adequate way to monitor the patient after the surgery.” She was apparently alone in a hotel room after her surgery.
Some procedures were reportedly performed by a “surgical consultant” who was on staff at the clinic.
This unfortunate situation reinforces the need for patients to carefully select their surgeon as well as the operating room facility where their cosmetic procedure is going to be performed. Patients who shop for price alone or succumb to aggressive advertising campaigns regarding the “newest and latest techniques” may be placing their health and appearance in jeopardy.
We feel strongly that plastic surgeons should be board-certified in the field in which they are performing procedures, that office-based operating room facilities should have the highest level of state certification, that board-certified physician anesthesiologists are the most qualified to assure for a patient’s safety during surgery, that “new” techniques should be proven safe and effective by scientific studies and expert investigators before being unleashed and marketed to an unsuspecting public, that patients following surgery must be discharged from the recovery room in the care of a responsible individual who stays with them for the first 24 hours, etc.
Dr. Jonov is a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in plastic surgeries of the face, breast, and body at Seattle Plastic Surgery.
