Former Beauty Queen Dies After Plastic Surgery: What Went Wrong?

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Lolita Carrico

Everyone’s talking about the tragic death of Solange Magnano, the 37-year old model and former Miss Argentina, following a plastic surgery procedure.

Magnano, the mother of 7-year-old twins, passed away in a hospital after being transferred from a clinic where she underwent an elective surgery on her buttocks. Though deaths after such procedures are rare, high profile cases such as Magnano’s and Kanye West’s mother, create a media frenzy over the safety of plastic surgery.

“There is increased risk of a complication in an office operating room than there are in a free-standing surgery center or hospital,” said Dr. Gabriel Chiu, of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Inc. “Unfortunately, adverse events do occur, and smaller facilities are not as well equipped to handle these problems.”

“In Ms. Magnano’s case, an injected material — either fat or silicone — would have to enter a large vein in sufficient amounts to cause a pulmonary embolism. This is extremely rare, especially in fat transfer. It is more likely that she developed a blood clot that traveled to cause her embolism.”

To minimize potential complications, Dr. Chiu recommends thoroughly researching your surgeon, but also the  facility and support staff as well. “The integrity and surgical expertise of the surgeon, coupled with a surgical center or hospital that upholds the highest standards in patient safety is the best insurance in avoiding adverse results.”