Public Health Minister Rafael Sanchez Cardenas went on record on Friday, 17 May 2019, saying that despite plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Cabral saying he did not get to operate on the patient, the autopsy of 51-year old Altagracia Diaz shows that she died of a pulmonary fat embolism, or a killer clot in the lungs, during a liposuction operation (at the International Center of Advanced Plastic Surgery (Centro Internacional de Cirugia Plastica Avanzada – CIPLA).
Sanchez Cardenas said that on Tuesday he would announce measures to be taken in this case. He said an inspection of the clinic revealed that 12 operating rooms were in operation, when the Ministry of Public Health had only authorized four.
He also said that he would meet with the Dominican Society of Plastic Surgery (Sodocipre) to establish protocol amendments and strengthening of the guidelines for the plastic surgeon operations. The physician, Dr. Cabral, is not a member of Sodocipre.
A preliminary report submitted to the Minister recommends increasing requirements for certifications and accreditations with greater technical rigor.
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Actualidad Dominicana
Actualidad Dominicana
El Nacional
Diario Libre
20 May 2019