After a death at a Coral Gables plastic surgery center, state lists 5 violations
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Brazilian butt lift problems at Seduction Cosmetic Center
There have been fatal problems with the liposuction procedure known as a “Brazilian butt lift” at Seduction Cosmetic Center, formerly in Doral and now in Coral Gables.
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A Florida Department of Health inspection of a Miami plastic surgery center following the death of a Brazilian butt lift patient turned up illegal surgeries, unlicensed staff doing work of nurses and doctors, and surgical logs missing basic information.
That’s according to the administrative complaint filed July 22 by the department against Seduction Cosmetic Center, 4950 SW Eighth St. Administrative complaints start the process that can end in disciplinary action.
READ MORE: A Miami surgeon can’t do Brazilian butt lifts after a patient’s death, the state says
Seduction’s online Department of Health license profile says that since June 12, 2020, the center has carried an office surgery registration that allows “liposuction with removal of less than 4000cc supernatant fat” and “surgery with moderate/conscious to deep sedation.”
The complaint ends with the request that Seduction’s license be revoked, suspended “or any other relief that the Department deems appropriate.”
State records say Seduction’s then-president, Luis Jardon, registered the business with the state in 2008, when it was in Hialeah. It moved to Doral the following year as current listed president Gretel Jardon assumed the position. It moved into the current Coral Gables location in 2020.
When a Miami Herald visited Seduction on Tuesday, staff said Gretel Jardon was on vacation and the office manager said Seduction refused comment on the complaint.
Death at Seduction
A Brazilian butt lift is a form of liposuction. Using a tube called a “cannula,” the surgeon sucks fat from the abdomen and back and inserts that fat into the buttocks. No organs should be touched and no fat should be inserted into or under the muscles in the buttocks.
The administrative complaint filed against Dr. John Sampson on Nov. 1 says, on his seventh surgery of June 15, 2021, Sampson “repeatedly” perforated his patient’s abdominal wall, punctured her bladder, liver and intestines and “damaged Patient E.R.’s skeletal muscles to the level of her ribs with the cannula.”
Then, the complaint said, Sampson injected fat into E.R’s gluteal muscles, violating state law.
READ MORE: State says fatal Brazilian butt lift was day’s 7th illegal surgery by Coral Gables doctor
E.R.’s heart stopped at 10:50 p.m, the complaint said. Emergency medical services took her to Coral Gables Hospital, about a 10-minute drive away. That’s where E.R. was declared dead. The complaint said she was 33 years old.
The medical examiner blamed E.R.’s death on pulmonary fat embolisms “due to liposuction and bilateral gluteal augmentation surgery.”
The complaint against Sampson said he wasn’t supposed to be doing surgeries at the Coral Gables location. When Seduction applied for its license, that complaint said, it declared him a designated physician who wouldn’t be doing surgeries at the Eighth Street location, and Sampson sent a letter to the Department of Health stating the same.
Seduction’s website lists Sampson as a surgeon and claims he’s board certified, although the American Board of Plastic Surgery website says his board certification has been suspended.
Inspection at Seduction
Three days later, June 18, 2021, the complaint filed against Seduction says, a Department of Health inspector showed up and found:
▪ “...a physician performing surgery was not registered with the Department to perform office-based surgery.”
▪ “...physicians listed on the registration were no longer employed at the facility.”
▪ “...post-operative follow-up for one or more patients was completed by an unlicensed staff member who signed as a nurse practitioner or physician.”
Under Florida administrative code, “a licensed anesthesiologist assistant, a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed registered nurse with post-anesthesia care unit experience or the equivalent, must be available to monitor the patient in the recovery room until the patient has recovered from anesthesia.”
▪ “...multiple surgical logs were missing required information.” That information include level of surgery, type of anesthesia, arrival time in the operating room, time to recovery, length of recovery, recovery staff, supernatant fat removed “and any adverse incidents.”
“▪ ...that [Seduction] was unable to provide verification of backup power safety check.” This is required so the doctor can “safely terminate the procedure and to allow the patient to emerge from the anesthetic, all without compromising the sterility of the procedure or the environment of care.”
This story was originally published August 10, 2022 at 6:25 AM.
