An inquest found that a mother-of-three died following a Brazilian butt lift in Turkey due to a lack of post-operative care and unqualified staff.
Demi Agoglia, 26, from Little Hulton, Greater Manchester, travelled to Istanbul on January 4 for a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) cosmetic procedure, which involves transferring fat to the hips and buttocks. She died on January 8, just three days after the surgery, from a fatal fat embolism, a condition where tissue enters the bloodstream.
The coroner, John Pollard, ruled that Ms Agoglia's death was caused by misadventure, and post-procedure neglect. He concluded there was a lack of informed consent and inadequate post-operative care. "The care fell well below the expected standard, contributing significantly to Demi’s death," he stated.
Mr Pollard also noted that the delay between Ms Agoglia's death and the post-mortem examination may have contributed to the difficulty in confirming the exact cause. Dr Omar Tillo, a Harley Street consultant plastic surgeon, agreed, calling it "almost incredible" that the death of a young, healthy woman would not be linked to the BBL procedure she underwent. Dr Tillo emphasised the serious failings in post-operative care, which likely played a significant role in her death.
Dr Usha Chandran, who conducted the post-mortem, expressed concern over the increasing popularity of cosmetic procedures in poorly regulated clinics, often promoted by celebrities. She stated she was "disturbed" by Ms Agoglia’s death and warned that many cosmetic surgeries are performed in substandard conditions.
The inquest revealed that the coroner's office had made multiple attempts to contact the Turkish hospital and surgeons involved, but had received no response. Mr Pollard expressed frustration with the lack of cooperation from Turkish authorities, noting that the inadequate post-operative care, including unqualified staff and a lack of emergency response, contributed to the outcome. He pointed out the absence of critical care records, tests, or scans, further highlighting the substandard care.
Ms Agoglia’s sister, Chloe, 23, urged others to think twice before seeking surgery abroad. "I just wouldn’t recommend anyone going to Turkey for any possible surgeries," she said. "She was so beautiful and just didn’t need any surgery at all."
Chloe described her sister as a mother who left behind two young sons and a grieving family. "Forever and always in our heart Dem. We really did give this our all. Sleep tight Dem."
BABTAC (British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology) says something needs to change following death from BBL procedure.
Lesley Blair, chief executive and chair of BABTAC and CIBTAC shares:
“This is shocking and awful to see and is another example of where we need the correct oversight, backed by legislation, in place as soon as possible. It demonstrates how imperative it is to have legal oversight in the industry, to avoid tragedies like this from happening. We are currently still awaiting feedback on the consultation we took part in with government for the impending licensing scheme. We need to continue to support the implementation of the legislation to be in place, to stop unqualified operators doing treatments in modalities that they are not trained to an acceptable safe level to do and in addition not qualified to manage any adverse complications if they arise.”
BABTAC launched a consumer safety campaign, T.I.M.E, to help support consumers in how they ensure they are safe when getting treatments. The campaign is backed by industry leaders such as Caroline Hirons.
Demi Agoglia, 26, from Little Hulton, Greater Manchester, travelled to Istanbul on January 4 for a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) cosmetic procedure, which involves transferring fat to the hips and buttocks. She died on January 8, just three days after the surgery, from a fatal fat embolism, a condition where tissue enters the bloodstream.
The coroner, John Pollard, ruled that Ms Agoglia's death was caused by misadventure, and post-procedure neglect. He concluded there was a lack of informed consent and inadequate post-operative care. "The care fell well below the expected standard, contributing significantly to Demi’s death," he stated.
Mr Pollard also noted that the delay between Ms Agoglia's death and the post-mortem examination may have contributed to the difficulty in confirming the exact cause. Dr Omar Tillo, a Harley Street consultant plastic surgeon, agreed, calling it "almost incredible" that the death of a young, healthy woman would not be linked to the BBL procedure she underwent. Dr Tillo emphasised the serious failings in post-operative care, which likely played a significant role in her death.
Dr Usha Chandran, who conducted the post-mortem, expressed concern over the increasing popularity of cosmetic procedures in poorly regulated clinics, often promoted by celebrities. She stated she was "disturbed" by Ms Agoglia’s death and warned that many cosmetic surgeries are performed in substandard conditions.
The inquest revealed that the coroner's office had made multiple attempts to contact the Turkish hospital and surgeons involved, but had received no response. Mr Pollard expressed frustration with the lack of cooperation from Turkish authorities, noting that the inadequate post-operative care, including unqualified staff and a lack of emergency response, contributed to the outcome. He pointed out the absence of critical care records, tests, or scans, further highlighting the substandard care.
Ms Agoglia’s sister, Chloe, 23, urged others to think twice before seeking surgery abroad. "I just wouldn’t recommend anyone going to Turkey for any possible surgeries," she said. "She was so beautiful and just didn’t need any surgery at all."
Chloe described her sister as a mother who left behind two young sons and a grieving family. "Forever and always in our heart Dem. We really did give this our all. Sleep tight Dem."
BABTAC (British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology) says something needs to change following death from BBL procedure.
Lesley Blair, chief executive and chair of BABTAC and CIBTAC shares:
“This is shocking and awful to see and is another example of where we need the correct oversight, backed by legislation, in place as soon as possible. It demonstrates how imperative it is to have legal oversight in the industry, to avoid tragedies like this from happening. We are currently still awaiting feedback on the consultation we took part in with government for the impending licensing scheme. We need to continue to support the implementation of the legislation to be in place, to stop unqualified operators doing treatments in modalities that they are not trained to an acceptable safe level to do and in addition not qualified to manage any adverse complications if they arise.”
BABTAC launched a consumer safety campaign, T.I.M.E, to help support consumers in how they ensure they are safe when getting treatments. The campaign is backed by industry leaders such as Caroline Hirons.
