Woman Sues After Allegedly Receiving Partial Tummy Tuck Without Consent
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
A woman is suing Clalit Aesthetics and her surgeon for allegedly performing a partial tummy tuck without her consent after she agreed to a full procedure. She claims she was not informed of the change and later discovered the surgery was incomplete, leading to physical and psychological distress.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Woman sues Clalit Aesthetics for partial tummy tuck without consent.
- She claims the surgical plan was changed under anesthesia.
- Post-surgery, she discovered the procedure was incomplete.
- She alleges significant physical and psychological harm.
- Corrective surgery costs estimated at up to $40,000.
A woman from the Gaza border region is suing Clalit Aesthetics, Clalit Health Services, and her surgeon, alleging that a partial tummy tuck was performed while she was under anesthesia, without her knowledge or consent. The lawsuit, filed by attorney Ran Shapira in Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, claims that the woman, identified as 'R' and in her 40s, only discovered the deviation from the planned full tummy tuck and liposuction procedure after insisting on answers post-surgery. She had initially sought the surgery after completing childbirth to address abdominal muscle separation.
According to the claim, R signed a consent form for a full tummy tuck, which included detachment and repositioning of the navel and repair of a small umbilical hernia. While 4.8 liters of fat were removed and her abdominal muscles were stitched, the surgical report allegedly lacks documentation of navel manipulation or hernia repair. R states she was not informed of any changes to the surgical plan upon waking.
In the weeks following the procedure, R became suspicious due to the absence of a typical full tummy tuck scar around her navel. Despite being told by Clalit Aesthetics that everything was fine and to wait for final results, she consulted a private plastic surgery expert. This expert noted abdominal irregularities, possible muscle separation, and the lack of a expected navel scar, suggesting the report did not clearly detail what was done. It was only upon returning to her original surgeon that she was allegedly told the full procedure was not completed due to insufficient excess skin and minor muscle separation.
"This was an elective and planned surgery. It is unacceptable for the surgical plan to change when the patient can no longer express her opinion, and afterward, no one explains what was done to her body," stated attorney Shapira. The lawsuit details R's subsequent psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal. She reportedly sought further consultation with Clalit Aesthetics' chief physician, who allegedly confirmed a partial tummy tuck was performed and offered a corrective surgery contingent on significant weight loss and further liposuction, with R bearing the costs.
A medical expert, Dr. Orr Friedman, concluded that the procedure performed did not match the agreed-upon plan, noting the persistent umbilical hernia and abdominal muscle separation. He estimated corrective surgeries could cost between NIS 100,000 and NIS 150,000, with no guarantee of full restoration. A psychiatric evaluation by Dr. Sergio Marchevsky assessed R's permanent psychological disability at 30% due to the incident, contributing to a combined medical disability of 43.3%. Clalit Aesthetics stated they offered several solutions but could not provide further details due to medical privacy and would address the matter in court.