Public servant dies in BH after plastic surgery, and doctor is investigated by the police

A 59-year-old public servant died 72 days after undergoing an abdominoplasty and other aesthetic procedures at a private hospital in the Belvedere neighborhood, in the Center-South region of Belo Horizonte.

After the incident, the family filed a police report against the surgeon, who owns a clinic in the Anchieta neighborhood, pointing out medical negligence.

Gustavo da Fonseca Botelho, son of Norma Eduarda da Fonseca, told the Military Police (PM) that his mother underwent the procedures on February 5th and died on April 17th.

According to him, she was hospitalized to undergo the procedure and, the following day, she was discharged to continue her recovery at home. However, five days later, she reported to her doctor that she was having complications such as abdominal swelling, necrosis, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

From the report, he says that the doctor advised the mother not to look for a hospital, but to continue treatment at home. Afterwards, according to him, the surgeon passed the contact information to his secretary, who asked for photos of the injuries, reported that “everything was fine” and recommended some medications.

However, the wounds, according to him, continued to worsen and, on February 14, the family contacted the responsible doctor. He advised taking the server to the clinic and, there, removed a vacuum suction drain in the sacral region – above the anus – and found that she had advanced signs of infection.

Later, according to him, the doctor advised taking the server to the hospital, where she was admitted immediately. Days later, injuries and infection with very resistant bacteria were identified. As a result, she underwent a new surgery to remove the necrotic part. As the days went by, her health condition worsened until she died on April 17th.

The victim’s son also told the police that during her hospitalization she was coerced by the doctor, who applied “psychological pressure” trying to hold her responsible for her condition. Family members also reported that the professional made it difficult to access information about the initial surgical procedure, which may have “made the diagnosis difficult for the hospital’s medical team.”

The report from Itatiaia He sought out the doctor responsible for the procedure, through the contacts provided by the clinic, and the space remains open.

What does the Civil Police say?

When asked about the investigations, the Civil Police highlighted that “it opened a police investigation to determine the circumstances and cause of the death of the 59-year-old woman, registered on April 19th”.

“The investigation continues with the necessary steps to clarify the facts. Other information will be passed on after the work is completed”, he concludes.

UFMG mourns death

On April 18, the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) expressed its opinion in a statement about the death of the employee, who worked in the administrative secretariat of the Dean of Planning and Development (Proplan)

“Norma was a technically admirable employee, who gave me confidence in all the steps I had to take. But, above all, she was a wonderful, supportive, cheerful person who was constantly trying to solve any problem that could disrupt the harmony of our work environment. He will be greatly missed”, lamented the dean of Planning and Development at UFMG, Maurício Freire.

The employee began working at UFMG as an administration assistant in 1995, at the General Secretariat of the Institute of Exact Sciences. From 2006 to 2014, she worked in the Rectory’s office, until her transfer to Proplan.

In addition to her son, Norma leaves behind her partner José Rachid, who is a professor in the Department of Physics at UFMG.