A Salford mother-of-three died after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) that has been concluded by coroner as “frankly barbaric medical practice.”
Demi Agoglia, 26, from Little Hulton travelled to Istanbul for the procedure in January this year, after seeing social media adverts for Comfort Zone.
Following the surgery the 26-year-old sadly died in a hospital in Istanbul, just three days after the operation.
The procedure for a ‘BBL’ sees fat taken from elsewhere on the body and injected into the hips and buttocks.
Bolton coroner John Pollard found she died from a microscopic fat embolism, caused when injected fat enters the bloodstream – with the coroner ruling that she died as a result of “misadventure contributed to by neglect”.
John Pollard said: “I find there was no proper informed consent in this matter, there was no proper pre-operative care and advice, and no proper post-operative care.
“All of this meant the care in total fell well below the standard expected of this type of treatment and the lack of care contributed significantly to Demi’s death.
“I do feel something further needs to be done to stop this frankly barbaric medical practice being conducted to such low standards that would certainly not be tolerated in the UK.”
Bolton Coroner’s Court heard that Demi also has struggled with her mental health and was on medication for ADHD and bipolar disorder.
In the hearing, Christine Tydd, Demi’s mother shared that she did not want her daughter to have the surgery as she was a “good looking girl” and did not need the operation shortly before she travelled.
The 26-year-old travelled to Istanbul on January 4 with her partner, Bradley Jones.
Mr Jones also shared that he did not want her to have the surgery either, and had booked the trip months prior.
He said in the hearing: “She was conscious about the way she looked. There was no changing her mind.”
Bradley shared that she booked the butt lift operation through a company called Comfort Zone Surgery after “she had seen some celebrity” advertising the procedure.
The couple stayed in a shared villa in Istanbul with Mr Jones describing her to “shaking” and appeared “very, very cold.”
Staff from Comfort Zone were called to the villa after Ms Agoglia complained of a tight chest and they checked her blood pressure but did not inspect the area of the operation or check her heart rate and pulse, the inquest heard.
Demi collapsed at the villa the following day and was taken back to Avrasya Hospital where she died.
The surgeon who conducted the operation later told Mr Jones they had done everything they could.
But it later emerged that the Comfort Zone staff who were called out to the villa were not qualified nurses – with staff trying to feed pieces of cucumber to Demi after she collapsed.
Harley Street consultant plastic surgeon Dr Omar Tillo said: “The lack of proper care and response, particularly the failure to address post-operative complications, are likely to have played a significant role in Demi’s tragic outcome.”
As Dr Tillo continued that the BBL procedure is performed in the UK “within very strict rules to do it safely”.
The inquest heard that the coroner’s office had sent multiple emails to the Turkish hospital and the surgeons involved to obtain statements regarding the butt lift operation but had received no response.
Mr Pollard added: “Most inquests are sad by their very nature. This inquest is especially so as it involved the death of a young woman with considerable mental health issues.
“Who, despite the fact she was pretty and her partner did not think she needed any improvement, insisted on having a BBL surgery.”
He continued: “I found that she went to Turkey presumably because the process was quicker and cheaper than the UK.
“I do find the post-operative care varied from woeful to completely non-existent.
“By the time she got to the hospital it was frankly too late and she was in an irrecoverable state.
“I think it was indicative of the poor level of care that at all times she was transported not in an ambulance but in a taxi, it was always the same taxi.”
Following the inquest, Ms Agoglia’s sister, Chloe, 23, said: “I just wouldn’t recommend anyone going to Turkey for any possible surgeries, or to research more about it if they are even thinking about it.
“She was so beautiful and just didn’t need any surgery at all. She only went for the sake of her being so down in herself and not feeling good enough.”
Chloe continued: “Our Dem hasn’t just left her family behind, she’s left the most beautiful little boys.
“Forever and always in our heart Dem. We really did give this our all. Sleep tight Dem.”
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