New York residents may have heard about a woman who died after getting a Brazilian butt lift. The 29-year-old mother from West Virginia was injured in a surgical procedure at Encore Plastic Surgery in Miami. After the woman’s surgery, her organs failed because her heart and lungs had become clogged with fat clots.

A Brazilian butt lift is a plastic surgery procedure in which fat is removed from several areas of a person’s body and then injected into their butt. A surgeon nicknamed Dr. Miami popularized the procedure by posting photos of his patients on social media. Depending on the amount of liposuction that is involved, the procedure can cost as much as $13,000. The West Virginia woman may have died because fat that was introduced through a vein had traveled through her bloodstream.

A doctor from Miami Cosmetic Surgery told reporters that there are hardly ever complications while fat is being transferred in a Brazilian butt lift. He said that a preventable surgical error was the likely cause of the mother’s death. So far, Encore Plastic Surgery has not issued any public comments about the fatal accident.

When a person dies during or after a surgical procedure, an investigation may reveal evidence that a mistake was made. An attorney can assist a family that has lost a loved one in surgery by filing a medical malpractice claim against the hospital or outpatient facility that performed the procedure. Evidence from the patient’s medical records and testimony from an expert witness are usually presented in court to demonstrate a failure to exhibit the requisite standard of care.

Source: IBT Times, "Brazilian Butt Lift Surgery In Miami Becomes Deadly: West Virginia Mom Heather Meadows Dies," Maria Vultaggio, May 17, 2016