Fw: Cosmetic surgery claims costing millions

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----- Original Message ----- From: ilena rose

Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 6:37 PM

Subject: Cosmetic surgery claims costing millions

,Cosmetic surgery claims costing millions Thursday, February 06, 2003

http://www.health-news.co.uk/showstory.asp?id=106186

LONDON

By Health Newswire reporters

Breast implants and face-lifts make up the majority of £7 million in settled compensation claims made after private plastic surgery, according to medical insurance research.

Photo Munro - Health Media Ltd

Most complaints about face lifts

The Medical Defence Union (MDU) has carried out the first comprehensive analysis of compensation claims made by patients who have undergone plastic or reconstructive surgery in the private sector. The researchers examined 264 settled claims from a 13-year period.

According to the MDU, three-quarters of these claims relate to breast augmentations or facial surgery, of which 40 per cent were complaints about rhinoplasty and face-lifts.

Dr Dalby, an MDU clinical risk manager, said the most common reason for bringing a claim was that patients thought surgery would enhance their looks, but were disappointed with the results.

“Patients may pursue a claim for a number of reasons,” she said. “With plastic surgery one of the key reasons is patients don’t get the result they imagined as they may have high expectations which are sometimes unrealistic.

“Sometimes this happened because the surgeons did not explain sufficiently the likely outcome, possible risks and complications before the procedure.”

The MDU said the size of settlements ranged from £150 to £285,000. But the union added that payments for patients resulting from plastic surgery were lower than other specialties, because the damage resulting from negligence did not generally require long-term medical care or cause patients to lose their ability to work.

However, the MDU did highlight one case where a woman received £197,000 after needing a temporary colostomy due to bowel damage sustained when she developed an abscess following abdominal liposuction.

The MDU provides medical indemnity to more than 50 per cent of UK doctors.

The full research is published in Hospital Doctor magazine.

© HMG Worldwide 2003 http://www.health-news.co.uk/

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