Datin critical after cosmetic surgery

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: The wife of a member of parliament is fighting for her life following a botched cosmetic surgery.
The Health Ministry has picked up a doctor, in his 30s, for questioning.
The 44-year-old woman, a Datin, is now on a life-support machine at a private hospital and her condition is classified as very critical.
All she wanted was to look good. She had an eye bag surgery, a tummy tuck and liposuction. Now, she is unconscious and has been hooked to the life-support machine since last Friday.
"We are investigating the case and action will be taken against the doctor if he is found not qualified to do the surgery or had performed shoddy work," Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said yesterday.
"If we have strong evidence against him, then he will have to face the consequences. We will not compromise where patient safety is concerned," he told the New Straits Times.
Ministry officials are also checking the status of the clinic and its operating licence to ascertain if it had flouted the Private Healthcare Facilities and Service Act and other regulations.
It is learnt that the Datin had gone to the clinic in Klang on Jan 9 to do an eye-bag surgery and subsequently decided to also get a tummy tuck and liposuction.
It is believed that an orthopaedic surgeon who did a three-week correspondence course in aesthetic medicine performed the almost eight-hour surgery.
The Datin, who encountered complications on the night of the surgery, was rushed to the National Heart Institute (IJN) the following day and later transferred to a private hospital upon request from her family.
A plastic surgeon, who declined to be named, said the woman could have suffered brain damage.
Dr Ismail said the ministry was coming out with guidelines on aesthetic medical practices.
Those who want to go into such practice must have evidence-based training and procedure.
"We do not allow doctors who have completed a three-week correspondence programme to do aesthetic medicine and surgery," he said.
Asked if the surgeon involved in the Datin's case would face the Malaysian Medical Council disciplinary board, Dr Ismail said this would depend on the outcome of the investigation and also if an official complaint was lodged against him.