LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A Long Beach woman and her friend went to get tummy tucks in Mexico -- she died and her friend barely survived. I am so disgusted. In Tijuana, the most visited location in Baja California for medical tourism, business has not been as heavily impacted by the pandemic as other locations across the globe. MX (664)634-35-08 USA (619) 564-4158 Toll Free: 1 877 429 4145. Saving Lives, Protecting People, state health department healthcare-associated infections programs, See below for more information for individuals who underwent surgery at Grand View Hospital during August 1, 2018 to January 30, 2019, CDC: Superbug involved in Tijuana bariatric surgery infections, They went to Mexico for surgery. Although an outbreak that primarily occurred at a single facility appears to be over, CDC continues to receive reports of antibioticresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients following surgery in Tijuana. You can review and change the way we collect information below. According to preliminary facts uncovered by the investigation, Chacn had contacted the director of Hospital Jerusalem in 2021 to inquire about plastic surgery. Strain information for clinicians, laboratory scientists, and public health officials: "With this bacteria you can lose a hand, you can have a lung infection, it can be very serious," Talai said. He adds that when abdominoplasty first became popular, it too had a 1 in 3,000 mortality rate. "I just couldn't believe it. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Two women are dead after going to the same doctor for cosmetic surgery. story break. Apparently, the authorities of said institution disregarded the suspension and committed a crime by removing the suspension seals and carrying out an operation that resulted in the death of a patient, a situation that we deeply regret and we will support the corresponding (criminal) investigation, with the background that COEPRIS had closed that site prior to the death, Areizaga said. Keuana Weaver, mother of two young children, traveled across the border with nurse Kanisha Davis for liposuction and tummy tucks. It was a bad decision, the patient was improving, Merlos said in an interview. Patients who had surgery or an invasive procedure in Tijuana, Mexico, and who think they have an infection or other complication should seek medical care immediately. But simply saying stay subcutaneous isnt enoughwe have to educate surgeons on how to do that.. Only 0.8% of surgeons in the current survey reported injecting in deep muscle, compared with 13.1% in 2017, prior to the task force alert. 2023 Travel Noire. Weve observed seven autopsies under the Miami medical examiner, and weve taken those findings into the cadaver labs, where weve replicated BBLs under fluoroscopic imaging using different injection techniques, cannulas, and styles of injection, says Dr. Pazmio. CDC continues to recommend that patients who had surgery or invasive procedures at any hospital in Tijuana, Mexico and are experiencing signs of an infectionsuch as redness, pus or swelling at the surgical incision site, or feverseek medical care immediately. I cant drive because I can barely use my arms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning travelers against having plastic surgery in Tijuana, Mexico, after reporting that 11 Americans who have Im heartbroken. His academic training includes a medical degree obtained in 2006 from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, according to Mexicos National Register of Professions. She loved her family and had a soft spot for stray animals, the niece said. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript. In the first nine months of this year, Mexico suffered an average of close to 100 murders a day. Erwin Areizaga, the head of COEPRIS, said in a WhatsApp message the hospital staff ignored the state order to close and continued receiving and operating on patients. We dont want another family going through what we went through.. I have to attend wound care sessions every other day where they change the dressings on my arms and its so painful. But she didnt tell them what for: The 51-year-old Downey resident had scheduled a liposuction procedure at a cosmetic surgery clinic. Horgan said there must be more oversight in the Baja California medical community because medical tourists are going to keep coming.. Its essential for the entire industry that patients feel safe and are well cared for and get the results they are looking for. He said the hospital was issued a fine of 38.5 million pesos or $1.9 million that has not been paid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Dalelisha Smith was with Keuana that January day. My arms are still so gross and messed up, healed but the scars are awful. He has taken so much happiness and normalness away from my life. The survey, published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2020, found the BBL mortality rate has dropped to 1 in 14,952, which puts the BBL at a better safety profile than tummy tucks, which have a mortality rate of 1 in 13,147, says Miami board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Onelio Garcia, who was involved with the BBL autopsies. Baja Californias Ministry of Sustainable Tourism (SEST) estimates the cosmetic tourism industry has tripled in recent years, from 800,000 medical tourists in 2014, to 2.4 million in 2018, which generates annual revenue of more than US $1.7 billion. The task force conducted an anonymous survey of 4,843 plastic surgeons worldwide; 692 surgeons responded. The report recommended additional safety measures as well, such as using rigid large-diameter cannulas (tubes used to place fat), injecting slowly with the cannula in motion, andof critical importancebeing acutely aware of the location of the cannulas tip throughout surgery: Its about seeing the cannula tip right underneath the skinthats how you know youre in a safe plane, explains Dr. Constantino Mendieta, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Miami. The authorities are also inquiring as to whether the doctor who performed the procedure was in compliance with health laws. GET THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR TOP CONCERNS: TAKE OUR NEW TREATMENT FINDER QUIZ. Our highly-trained Review Moderation team evaluates all reviews before they're published to ensure they're written by people like you and not a member of a doctor's office. Four days later, Saenz was in a coma when an ambulance brought her across the border, her relatives said. Consult with a doctor virtually or in person. Like my mental health is a complete disaster right now. In the United States, there is no single national source that shows all medical complications that occur during plastic surgeries, said Dr. Robert Singer, a well known La Jolla plastic surgeon. In 2011 a Fast Lane was introduced at the Tijuana border, where travelers registered with Mexican doctors were processed more quickly. Experts recommend that ahead of any planned procedure, patients investigate the history of the clinic or hospital where it will take place and pay attention to past complaints. When you work so hard to save money up for something, months and months it took me - and all the excitement you have before surgery to be a "new you". Per the latest recommendations, plastic surgeons should routinely use ultrasound guidance when placing and navigating the cannula during fat injection to ensure theyre in a safe plane, and they should perform no more than three BBLs per day, to minimize fatigue-related mistakes. My arms are taking so long to close up - keep in mind its been a month and a half since I had surgery with Dr. Pantoja and I am still trying to keep my arms together. One woman died and two others suffered serious health complications after plastic surgery operations in Tijuana, Baja California, on January 29, according to a report by the San Diego Union Tribune. let us know. The original yellow clausurado seals had been removed and some had been painted over with white paint, health officials said. Three Botched Plastic Surgeries in Mexico Highlight the Dangers A prosecutor with the attorney generals office said Wednesday that Betancourt is not a surgeon or doctor. Another key revelation: There is no one perfect way to do a BBLmany techniques can give a good result, he says. Bella Bodiez BBL Journey! All three patients have the same thing in common: they went to the same clinic. Dr. Gilberto Montfort, a plastic surgeon in Baja California and member of the Mexican Association of Plastic Surgeons, says Bezs training does not qualify him to operate. "This just destroyed our family," Weaver said. According to the CDC's Wednesday warning,those patients were diagnosed with potentially fatal Pseudomonas bacteria, also known as CRPA, after undergoing invasive medical procedures. There are organizations that are supposed to (provide oversight) but they do not really do it. It remains unclear whether Tokunaga has the proper additional medical licenses to perform surgery. Another woman, Esmeralda Iiguez, underwent surgery on the same day, and had to be rushed over the border to a U.S. hospital on February 3. He tightened my abdominal muscles too much, squishing all my organs together and cutting off blood supply to my kidneys, causing something called abdominal compartment syndrome, said Iiguez. Her family says the doctor behind the operation didn't even have a license. Prior to its permanent closure, on Jan. 31, the state health agency issued a suspension for the business. A cousin who was briefly allowed into the room said Saenzs face was swollen and almost beyond recognition. Healthcare providers caring for patients who underwent recent (within last year) invasive procedures in Mexico should follow the infection control recommendations listed below to prevent the potential spread of highly-resistant bacteria to other patients, as these highly resistant bacteria have the potential to spread rapidly in healthcare settings. Her family says the doctor behind the operation, Dr. Jesus Manuel Baez Keuana Weaver, 38, died on the operating table at Art Siluette Aesthetic Surgery in Tijuana on Jan. 29. Keuana Weaver, a Long Beach mother of two, died during plastic surgery in Tijuana, Mexico. Powerful and portable, it shows me where the tip of my cannula is at all times, says Dr. Pazmio, an early proponent of the technology. Everyday is still filled with great pain in my arms and left buttock (where the infected fat was pushed out). Keuana was a very independent woman; a good, loving, smart and very intelligent Black woman That doctor took a lot from me and my family and I most definitely have to have her story out there . That's why I am pushing this so hard..this isn't fair. The procedure, known as the Brazilian butt lift, is said to be the most dangerous cosmetic surgery. Warning: You do not have JavaScript enabled. Keuanas mother, Renee Weaver, said no one from Baja California has contacted her to collect information about her daughters death. Make your deposit ASAP to reserve your spot. A Los Angeles woman who went into a coma after undergoing a liposuction procedure in Tijuana recently has died, family members said Tuesday as they issued a Weaver said an autopsy determined Keuana died from a heart attack and blood clotting issues. let us know. VIM-CRPA isolates associated with the initial outbreak in Tijuana have been extensively drug resistant (XDR). Thankful ! Hi everyone. Most of those procedures were weight-loss surgeries, according to the CDC. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. I was so septic by the time I reached the ER in Chula Vista on February 3 I was literally hours from death. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news. Why did you move (or are thinking to move) to Mexico. For more stories like this, check our news page. As of Saturday, my aunt had already suffered brain damage.. And with an increased awareness of the complications that have happened around the world in [recent] years, patients are now more inclined to question their plastic surgeons and make better choices.. Web95.1k Followers, 7,507 Following, 5,087 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Plastic & Bariatric Surgery - Baltic Surgery Tijuana (@balticsurgerytijuana) This outbreak appears to be over as of April 30, 2019. Like any surgery, it has risks, and complications can in rare cases result in death. A woman died and two others needed treatment in hospitals after all visiting the same plastic surgeon on the same day. Still, there are surgeons here and abroad who claim to get bigger, better results by grafting fat into the musclea fallacy debunked in this new study comparing long-term results of subcutaneous-only gluteal fat grafting to intramuscular injections. Since we dropped that bomb back in 2017, saying theres something going on with this procedure, weve been working to educate surgeons in hopes of improving the BBL mortality rate, says Dr. Luis Rios Jr., a board-certified plastic surgeon in Edinburg, Texas, and president of ASERF. 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