Liposuction death preventable: coroner

A slim, healthy Melbourne woman died after receiving "wholly inadequate" care from
her surgeon while she was in agony after liposuction surgery, a coroner has found.
Lauren James, 26, died three days after reacting severely following surgery on her
buttocks, knees and thighs at a Melbourne clinic.
Coroner Paresa Spanos found the Centre of Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery (COCAPS)
failed in its obligations to Ms James, while her treating surgeon Tam Dieu did not
provide her with adequate post-operative care.
Ms James suffered deep pain and was bleeding from her incisions after the surgery at
the Caulfield North clinic in January 2007.
Her partner Simon Dal Zotto repeatedly asked the surgery for help in the lead up to
her death but they failed to admit her to hospital.
After several phone calls between Mr Dal Zotto, the clinic's medical director Dr
Mervyn Cass and principal surgeon Dr Gerard Sormann, Dr Dieu said Ms James was
presenting normally and he would check on her the next morning.
She died that night.
"COCAPS as an entity failed in its obligations to provide adequate post-operative
management of Ms James," Ms Spanos said.
"I find that Dr Dieu failed in his obligations to provide adequate post-operative
care for Ms James. He failed to review her in a timely way after the telephone
discussion with Dr Sormann at 11.30am."
The day before her death, Dr Cass advised more pain relief medication and to phone
the next day if she did not feel better.
The next morning, Ms James was reviewed by Dr Cass and Dr Sormann at the clinic and
was given more pain relief.
Dr Dieu was told of the situation and the plan was to review Ms James again that
afternoon.
But Mr Dal Zotto became increasingly concerned and tried to call the clinic several
times that afternoon and evening.
Dr Cass called Dr Dieu just after 4pm and told him Ms James needed to be checked.
Dr Dieu called him at 6.30pm and told him Ms James' presentation was normal and he
would review her the next morning if things didn't improve.
But Ms James deteriorated and died just after 10pm.
Ms Spanos said her death was preventable.
She said Dr Cass and Dr Sormann failed to appreciate Ms James was showing signs of
post-operative complications that needed investigation rather than just more pain
relief when they saw her on the morning of her death.
Ms Spanos also said Dr Sormann's discussion with Dr Dieu failed to convey the
urgency required and found Dr Dieu's suggestion as late as 9.15pm on the night of
her death that an ambulance take Ms James to COCAPS "disturbing".
Outside court, Katherine James said it was hard to fathom that on five different
occasions the doctors could have saved her daughter's life.
Lauren's brother Collie James said the lack of action by medical staff was the most
upsetting thing.
"When calls are made to the clinic seeking additional help, calls were not
returned," he said.
"Then when she finally collapsed, the only response is bring her to the clinic,
we'll take a look at her there.
"That's just simply inadequate and my sister died as a result of it."
Mr Dal Zotto, who is suing the doctors and the centre, urged people to be aware
cosmetic surgery carried risks.
"(It's) not as simple as it looks on TV or in the glossy magazines," he said.