We often don’t think about cosmetic procedures as major surgeries, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. These procedures, such as rhinoplasty (nose job), breast augmentation (boob job), and gluteal augmentation (butt implants) are all major surgeries that require highly skilled professionals and long recovery periods. The most dangerous of all plastic surgeries is one known most commonly as the Brazilian Butt Lift. Equally as dangerous is the reversal of this procedure. Tragically, a 21-year-old woman in Queens, New York City, has been left brain dead after attempting to have her butt implants removed from someone who she thought was a licensed professional. 38-year-old Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, however, was anything but.
The Botched Procedure
According to the court papers, the woman visited Hoyos-Foronda’s clinic for a butt implant removal procedure on the afternoon of Friday, March 30th. The clinic was located on 35th Street in Astoria. Hoyos-Foronda allegedly claimed to have been a doctor in Colombia, and was therefore qualified to do this procedure. He administered lidocaine, a local anaesthetic that numbs the skin and surrounding tissues, into the woman’s buttocks using a syringe. Tragically, this caused the woman to go into cardiac arrest.
The Traumatic Aftermath
When Hoyos-Foronda realized what was happening, he knew he would be in trouble, so he fled the scene, leaving his patient alone in critical condition. He did, however, call emergency services before running away. When they arrived, Hoyos-Foronda was already gone. The emergency services rushed the woman to Mount Sinai Queens Hospital, where doctors intubated her. According to the medical reports, the woman displayed no brain activity and showed signs of lidocaine toxicity. This is a life-threatening condition and is the reason why anaesthesiologists exist: Administering anaesthetic requires extensive training and is incredibly dangerous if done incorrectly.
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The Arrest
As soon as police arrived on the scene, they spoke with Hoyos-Foronda’s landlord, who provided them with a photo of the 38-year-old Colombian man. They were able to track him down very quickly while trying to flee the country. Authorities apprehended Hoyos-Foronda at JFK Airport, where he was just moments away from boarding a plane to Colombia. The Port Authority arrested him and charged him with second-degree assault and unauthorized practice of a profession.
What is Lidocaine?
Lidocaine is one of the most commonly used local anaesthetics in the medical industry. It produces a transient loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic function when it is injected or applied near neural tissue. It is also sometimes used as an antiarrhythmic agent for certain medical needs. It can be applied topically, as an injectible, or via inhalation. Typically, lidocaine has a good safety margin, but it can reach toxic blood levels if the administrator does not carefully monitor the dosage.
Lidocaine Toxicity
If a patient is reaching toxic levels, they do display signals. These include excitatory signs, such as restlessness, agitation, nervousness, or paranoia, may progress to muscle twitches and seizures. Ultimately, with large overdoses, CNS depression, including unconsciousness and coma, can occur. Toxicity can affect the local muscles, the brain, the cardiovascular system (aka the heart) or a combination of these. This is, tragically, what Hoyos-Foronda incited in his patient when he improperly injected her with lidocaine at his home in Queens.
Seeking Justice
Authorities held Hoyos-Foronda without bail during his arraignment and he is set to appear in court for further proceedings. The police have released his image and any other potential victims who may have visited him at his ‘practice’ to come forward with any information that they have.
The Bottom Line
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with unlicensed and unregulated medical practices. The woman’s life-threatening complications could have been avoided if proper medical procedures and protocols were followed. As the case unfolds, authorities are working to ensure that justice is served for the victim and that individuals like Hoyos-Foronda are held accountable for their actions. For the rest of us, it is a reminder that cosmetic procedures are still medical procedures and complications, including life-threatening ones, can arise. This is why it is of critical importance to ensure that you are only entrusting these procedures to licensed professionals with a track record of successful procedures. If you don’t feel comfortable in your consultation or feel as though the person is pushing you in any way or not listening to your concerns, go elsewhere. Your life is not worth the risk.
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