Thai woman dies 6 hours after breast surgery, lawyer says clinic doesn’t have license

UPDATE

Police have launched an investigation into Marichche Clinic in Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi province near Bangkok in central Thailand after a customer lost consciousness and died just six hours after her breast augmentation surgery was completed on March 23.

Chatri Pinyai, a lawyer of the Department of Health’s legal division, says that breast augmentation is considered a major operation but the clinic only holds a license to perform minor surgeries.

The deceased’s family are demanding 10 million baht (US$290,000) in compensation from Marichche clinic, which agreed to pay for the initial 100,000 baht costs of covering 37 year old Kanokwan’s funeral costs.

As soon as Kanokwan’s surgery was complete at 11pm, she began coughing. Upon returning home around midnight, Kanokwan said she suffering from back pain.

At 4am, Kanokwan’s sister found her unconscious with soiled underwear. Rescue workers performed CPR but Kanokwan died on her way to Bang Pa-In Hospital, reports ThaiRath.

An initial autopsy identified bleeding in the chest as Kanokwan’s cause of death, but did not specify that this was a direct cause of breast augmentation surgery. Kanokwan’s 59 year old mother requested a second autopsy be carried out which holds the clinic accountable.

Champee met with Supon Nilwichian, a representative of Marichche Clinic, at Wang Noi Police Station on Monday.

Supon agreed to cover the initial funeral costs. Champee requested a further 10 million baht in compensation, citing that her daughter, who worked for many years as a masseuse in Dubai, was the pillar of the family and sent money home every month. She died at just 37 years old, said Champee.

Champee said that Kanokwan earned a monthly salary of around 40,000 baht in Dubai, having returned to Thailand just three days before the surgery.

Supon said he would discuss the compensation with the clinic’s owner and other ways to help heal the family of the deceased.

Reporters travelled to the clinic to find that it was closed with a sign on the door reading, “Closed, no doctor.”

Investigating officers say they are examining licenses and documents, silicone quality, the operating room, drugs dispensed to patients, and equipment at the clinic. The doctors who conducted Kanokwan’s surgery have provided a statement.

Lawyer Chatri said that breast augmentation surgery is considered a major operation, but the clinic only holds a license for minor surgery. The lawyer said the clinic was also advertising the surgery illegally via Facebook.

Nonthaburi Provincial Police Station say they will compile the case and present the findings on Friday, March 31.

ORIGINAL STORY: Thai woman dies 6 hours after breast augmentation surgery

A Thai woman died just six hours after getting breast augmentation surgery at a clinic in Nonthaburi province in central Thailand. Her family is seeking justice, reports KhaoSod.

The mother of the deceased, 59 year old Champee [surname reserved] said that her 37 year old daughter Kanokwan [surname reserved] lost consciousness and died less than six hours after returning home from the clinic on Thursday, March 23.

Champee said that her daughter returned from Bahrain on March 20 prior to her surgery and was staying at her sister’s house in Wang Noi district, Pra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province.

Kanokwan went to her appointment at a clinic in the Pak Kret district in Nonthaburi. The clinic was not named by KhaoSod. After the surgery finished at around 11pm, Kanokwan began coughing.

Her mother said that Kanokwan arrived at her sister’s house at around midnight, lay on the sofa, and fell asleep. Kanokwan woke up and told her sister that she was in a lot of pain. She said her back was hurting a lot and she felt very weak. After that, Kanokwan coughed heavily until she fell asleep again.

Concerned, Kanokwan’s sister kept checking up on her ill sister during the night. At 4am, she called the Putthai Sawan Rescue Foundation to the house because Kanokwan fell unconscious. Rescue volunteers rushed to the scene and attempted to save Kanokwan’s life, but sadly she died on her way to the hospital.

Champee said that the next day, she went to pick up her daughter’s body from Thammasat University Hospital and received an autopsy certificate.

The autopsy results said that Kanokwan died from “bleeding in her chest.” But the autopsy results didn’t detail that the death was a direct result of breast surgery, said Champee.

Kanokwan’s body was taken to the family home in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand for a three-day ceremony, which ended today.

Champee said the family wants Kanokwan to undergo a more thorough autopsy. She said that her daughter was strong and had no underlying diseases. Kanokwan died as a result of breast augmentation surgery and the clinic must be held accountable, said her mother.

Champee said she went to the media with the tragic story of her daughter’s death in the hopes it will help to bring about justice.