The most common cause of death in plastic surgery are venous thromboembolism (VTE) or best known as DVT which stands for Deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism (PE).

25-40% of deaths in plastic surgery are caused by VTE.

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg, but sometimes in the arm or other veins.
• Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a DVT clot breaks free from a vein wall, travels to the lungs and blocks some or all of the blood supply.   Blood clots in the thigh are more likely to break off and travel to the lungs than blood clots in the lower leg or other parts of the body.

Although we know liposuction/abdominoplasty is a high-risk surgery for PE, the real cause of death isn’t in fact this pathology itself, but the anesthesiologist and surgeon’s fault of not following the protocol for prevention of VTE, which would be prophylactic treatment; Prophylaxis (the regular infusion of clotting factor concentrates in order to prevent bleeding) Heparin infusion.

Here at our clinic Shape & Beauty, we require patients to get Enoxaparin which is a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). It works by blocking the formation of blood clots.

This medication must be purchased by the patient and the failure to do so is responsibility of the patient.