A 21-year-old woman has tragically died after suffering catastrophic complications from cosmetic surgery performed at a private clinic in Colombia.
A Fatal Turn After Routine Procedures
Maria Jose Torres Osorio underwent breast augmentation and an abdominoplasty, commonly known as a tummy tuck, at a private facility. However, just hours after the operation, the young woman from the coastal city of Ciénaga began experiencing severe pain and dizziness.
Her condition worsened over the following days, leading her family to take her to a hospital in Neiva, Colombia, eight days after the initial surgery. At the hospital, Maria suffered a cardiac arrest and then multiple organ failure.
Family's Heartbreaking Decision
Medical assessments determined that she had suffered a hypoxic brain injury, likely caused by a lack of oxygen to vital organs. After five days, doctors confirmed she was brain dead.
Despite being placed on life support, Maria showed no signs of improvement. Her family made the agonising decision to disconnect the medical equipment nine days after the cosmetic procedures, and her death was confirmed.
Her father has stated that the clinic failed to provide sufficient information both before and after the operation. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death has been launched.
The Wider Cost of Cosmetic Surgery Tourism
This tragic case underscores a growing and costly problem. Botched cosmetic and obesity surgery performed abroad is costing the NHS up to £20,000 per patient when complications arise after patients return to the UK.
Common severe issues include infected wounds, sepsis, and multiple organ failure, often requiring intensive care and powerful antibiotics. A new study published in the British Medical Journal details the life-changing injuries and deaths that can result from cut-price procedures overseas.
Foreign Office data reveals that six Britons died in Turkey in 2024 following medical procedures there, with at least six more dying in the previous year. This has prompted campaigns, like one launched by the Mirror, to curb the 'Wild West' of cosmetic surgery, where unregulated clinics with poorly trained staff offer dangerous, low-cost treatments.
