Brazilian Woman Left Unable to Move, Speak After Complications from Plastic Surgery at Unlicensed Clinic
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A 35-year-old woman from Brazil is facing a devastating reality after undergoing routine plastic surgery procedures at an unlicensed hospital, leaving her unable to move, see, or speak. Teh case has ignited a debate about the risks associated with cosmetic surgery and the importance of proper medical oversight.
Eliete Regina de Aquino, a shop assistant from Iracemápolis in São Paulo, underwent an abdominoplasty and liposuction on her thigh at the Plastic Surgery Hospital in limeira on November 14. The surgery, costing approximately R$25,000 (roughly £3,355), initially appeared to proceed as planned. Though, Ms.Aquino suffered a cardiac arrest during the procedure and was briefly declared dead before being resuscitated.
According to reports from Brazilian news outlet Globo.com, the surgery continued after her resuscitation, concluding around 1:30 PM. Ms. Aquino was then rushed to a private hospital via a mobile Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at 2:00 PM. Family members state she was admitted at risk of brain death and afterward underwent brain surgery, followed by complications related to her lungs.
A Dream Turned Nightmare
Ms. Aquino remained hospitalized until December 25, when she was transferred to the Santa Casa de Limeira hospital. There, doctors diagnosed her with severe neurological sequelae – critically important neurological damage. This condition has robbed her of her ability to communicate or move, and she continues to experience neurological spasms. She was discharged earlier this week with a tracheostomy tube and, according to her sister, can only perceive the touch of her family.
“Eliete, today, has no movement in any of her four limbs, neither legs nor arms,” her sister, Fabiana Aparecida de aquino, stated. “She can’t see or speak. She has a tracheostomy tube in her neck and can only feel our touch…It’s very expensive. We need support, home care, a lifelong health plan. My mother is alone taking care of her today, she doesn’t leave her side 24 hours a day. She needs at least a nurse 24 hours a day to help.”
Fabiana has filed a statement with Civil Police alleging that her sister was transferred to the first hospital without intubation and experienced two cardiac arrests. Limeira City Hall has confirmed that the Plastic Surgery Hospital was operating without a license.
Investigation Launched, Family Demands Answers
The family is now demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms. Aquino’s ordeal. “We really want to know what happened inside the operating room. If there was negligence,we want justice,” Fabiana said. However, the hospital has declined to comment on the case, citing Brazil’s General Data Protection Law.
Civil Police are expected to interview the medical professionals involved in Ms. Aquino’s care. There is a discrepancy between the family’s claim of two cardiac arrests and the clinic’s report, which states only one occurred.
Ms. Aquino reportedly sought the plastic surgery as she was unhappy with her body image. “It was her dream [to have the surgeries],” Fabiana explained. “A dream that turned into a nightmare.” The family now faces the heartbreaking reality that Ms. Aquino’s children are struggling to cope with her condition. “It’s hard, very hard,” Fabiana added.
This case underscores the potential dangers of seeking cosmetic procedures at unregulated facilities and highlights the critical need for stringent oversight within the medical tourism industry.
