A little over a year ago, a 21-year-old named Ximena Lopez decided she wanted buttock augmentation. Lopez lived in Medellin, which is located in Colombia, and is one of the most popular spots in the world for cosmetic surgery. It is estimated that 357,000 cosmetic procedures are performed on a yearly basis in Colombia.
Lopez took the advice of a friend, Hanna Valencia, and visited a “spa” the friend had used that was located in a mall in their neighborhood. Valencia had received buttock injections she described as a mixture of liquid and gel. Lopez took her advice and went in for the procedure on March 17th, 2016. She didn’t tell her parents about the treatment so she called Valencia to come pick her up and drive her home. After returning to her home, Lopez asked her doctor if it was normal to have trouble breathing. The answers she received said it was a symptom of the procedure and that she needed to rest and stay still. Later in the week, Ximena was taken to the hospital where her aunt described her appearance as completely disfigured.
Six days after the injections, Lopez passed away.
Cosmetic surgery is popular in Colombia for all levels of society no matter the income level of the person. While the richer citizens have surgeries performed in private clinics, less wealthy citizens have work performed at places that offer reduced rates. Sometimes the treatments are done by medical students instead of licensed physicians. According to one city councilman, the Medellin has two roads of plastic surgery:
It is estimated that 20\\%-30\\% of the plastic surgeries in Medellin are performed by people without proper training or in facilities not authorized for such use. Rafael Nieto, who performed the buttock injections of Valencia and Lopez, was referred to as “doctor” by the two women. However, he is not registered or listed in the database of doctors kept by the Colombian government. In fact, his business was registered as a hair salon.
The hospital informed Ximena’s family that the product injected into her backside was “a greasy substance” such as cooking oil. Her official cause of death was respiratory cardiac arrest. During the injection process, a vein was pinched and the product she was injected with ended up in her lungs as it worked its way through her blood.
Despite the dangers, many people travel to Colombia for cosmetic surgery. Dr. Liana Triana, president of the Colombian Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, notes that prices charged in Colombia can end up being half the cost of prices in the United States. She also said that the country offers:
"high standards, experienced surgeons and modern facilities."
The case of Lopez’s death is still being investigated but no charges have been filed. However, the spa was permanently closed. Nieto’s attorney offered her family a $14,000 settlement but they rejected the money. If he is charged and later found to be guilty, Nieto faces 2 to 6 years in prison.
MA
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