‘Disaster’ aesthetic accident

Consecutive accidents, death

On March 18, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Nh (33 years old, from Dong Thap province) went to 1A Hospital for breast augmentation to make an appointment with Dr. Nguyen Van Thiet. However, when the doctor was performing the operation, the patient suddenly fell into critical condition. Despite the doctor’s efforts to resuscitate, the female patient died. The sudden death of Ms. Nh made the family angry, asking the authorities to intervene to clarify the cause.

Before that, in Ho Chi Minh City, there were also many accidents related to the field of cosmetology right during the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic. In July 2021, Dr. Phan Duc Hong (59 years old) performed breast augmentation surgery for Ms. Nguyen Thi T (30 years old) at her clinic on Ma Lo Street, Binh Tan District. During the operation, the patient fell into a state of cyanosis, difficulty breathing, and death.

In December 2021, People’s Hospital 115 continuously received 2 cases of cosmetic accidents. The first case is Ms. HTN (31 years old, living in District 8) having liposuction at a beauty salon in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The patient was brought to the emergency room in a state of cardiac arrest, apnea, and death. The second case is a young NTP girl (24 years old, living in District 10) who entered Diep Clinic Beauty Salon (Tan Phu District) for back aesthetics. After the back anesthetic was performed, the patient had convulsions, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. At the hospital, doctors tried to resuscitate the patient, but the patient did not survive the critical situation.

Most recently on March 26, 2022, JW Aesthetic Hospital Ho Chi Minh City received a case of admission from Tay Ninh province with a cut of about 15cm on the neck, extending from the left chin to the right chin. The female patient said that she had previously had injections to dissolve fat on the double chin. After the injection, the chin area begins to swell, painful, infected, and necrotic. She went to a medical facility in Tay Ninh province for surgery many times to treat the infection, but the wound on her neck became more and more serious.

It is necessary to strictly handle the “hands-on doctor”

After the female breast augmentation patient at 1A Hospital died, the authorities performed an autopsy to find the cause of the patient’s death. This is a case of many unusual signs during the admission and surgery of the patient. Information from Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tr (35 years old, the patient’s sister) said that the cost of 40 million VND for breast augmentation surgery was paid directly to Dr. Nguyen Van Thiet without going through the hospital. . At present, the victim’s family has invited a lawyer to participate.

Talking to reporters about the above death, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai, Chief of the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said that the case is currently being investigated by the police, with no official conclusion. Doctor Nguyen Van Thiet, who performed the surgery, is working at the 30/4 Hospital under the Ministry of Public Security. Hospital 1A where the incident happened is under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. Therefore, the inspection and handling of violations needs coordination between agencies under ministries, branches and local authorities.

In fact, many spas and beauty salons are advertising to perform unauthorized services such as rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, abdominal liposuction, breast augmentation, breast reduction, autologous fat transfer, buttock augmentation, and tummy tuck. , facelift… If the customer has a need, the spa or beauty salon will shake hands with people who claim to be cosmetologists specializing in surgery to perform the technique. This fact has led to many risks of complications for patients. In some cases, doctors only use their names and rent operating rooms at medical facilities, but the surgeons are different.

On March 27, talking to reporters, Dr. Nguyen Phan Tu Dung, Director of JW Aesthetic Hospital said: “Last week, we received up to 5 cases of cosmetic complications. In addition to the case of infection on the neck from Tay Ninh, there are other cases with equally dangerous complications. Some people inject filler leading to blindness, some people with high cheekbones are advised to inject drugs to lower the cheekbones, leading to abscesses on both sides of the face. For profit, beauty salons and spas operated by “hands-on” doctors are defying the provisions of the law, causing terrible complications, even taking the lives of patients.”

From the above fact, Dr. Tu Dung said that the sanctions against acts of infringing on the health and life of others in the field of cosmetology are not enough of a deterrent. “Law will be the most important solution to prevent unqualified doctors or untrained “hands-on” people still holding surgical knives or performing invasive techniques leading to accidents. . I think such cases need to be dealt with strictly.”

Any surgical method carries the risk of dangerous complications. When faced with emergency situations, a qualified and skilled doctor with the support of standard medical equipment will calmly handle the patient through the critical situation. However, unqualified doctors who perform surgery in places where there is not enough equipment will not be able to handle the accident. This is the main reason why patients face risks.

To avoid losing money, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai, Chief of the Office of the Health Department of Ho Chi Minh City, recommends that the community when in need of beauty should carefully research and choose reputable facilities with qualified doctors. subject and satisfy the conditions for practicing as prescribed by law. Absolutely do not perform invasive beauty services at spa facilities, unlicensed cosmetic establishments.

“In Korea, for continuing education certification seminars in the field of cosmetology, only regular doctors of the Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery can attend. However, in Vietnam, many certification seminars for continuous training have both other specialists and spa and dermatological technicians attend and receive certificates. They used the certificate granted by the Cosmetology Association to advertise, making people think they were well-trained and licensed cosmetologists” – TS.BS Nguyen Phan Tu Dung.

According to Van Son