A Doral woman died Wednesday after undergoing surgery at Vanity Cosmetic Surgery in Westchester.
According to the clinic, Maria Christian, 32, went into cardiac arrest toward the end of the abdominal surgery and was rushed to Kendall Regional Hospital.
Doctors were unable to revive the woman.
“She was always trying to help people, always doing her best. She was a wonderful person,” her sister, Carolina Flor, said Thursday, fighting back tears. “Now all she’s left with are her children and her husband. They were a wonderful family.”
Vanity Plastic Surgery released a statement on Thursday, offering its deepest condolences to the patient’s family.
Doctors said Christiane had previously had two cosmetic procedures at the clinic, most recently a Brazilian butt lift in January, but her sister said the January procedure was the only other procedure she had had.
Vanity Cosmetic Surgery said the patient was deemed to be in good health at the time Dr. Camille Chavez performed the procedure.
“They were trying to tell her, ‘Just go with her. She’s really good and you’ll be fine,'” Flor said.
Miami-Dade Police conducted a search of Vanity’s facility and operating room during their initial investigation.
The clinic said authorities did not find any violations.
The cause of death is currently under investigation and it could be several days before the coroner releases an exact cause of death.
“We don’t know what happened. The doctors just said her heart stopped,” Flor said. “If there’s nothing to be done, there’s no reason to do anything. She was just beautiful the way she was.”
This is not the first time vanity cosmetic surgery has been in the news.
In January, the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection began investigating the center after receiving customer complaints about its refund process.
Below is the full statement the company released regarding Christian’s death:
Camille D. Chavez, MD and Vanity Cosmetic Surgery extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Maria Christian, a 32-year-old patient who underwent a highly popular procedure, an abdominoplasty, yesterday afternoon at our cosmetic surgery facility under the direction of one of our surgeons, Camille D. Chavez, MD.
The patient had previously undergone two cosmetic surgeries, the most recent of which occurred in January 2016. She was deemed to be in good health at the time of surgery. All standard pre-operative care was administered. Unfortunately, towards the end of the procedure, she went into cardiac arrest. Resuscitation efforts were performed immediately and 911 was then called. Paramedics arrived quickly and transported Christian to Kendall Regional Hospital, where she later died.
Christian’s cause of death will remain unknown until the forensic medical examiner completes his examination. All surgical procedures carry the risk of complications, some of which may be unforeseen. Miami-Dade Police inspected our facilities and operating rooms during their initial investigation to ensure all were in compliance with standard protocols. Dr. Camille D. Chavez’s reputation as a compassionate and skilled surgeon is widely recognized and praised by patients and colleagues. Dr. Chavez has built a successful career with over 30 years of experience specializing in microsurgery, trauma surgery, craniofacial surgery, and cosmetic surgery. Dr. Camille D. Chavez and Vanity Cosmetic Surgery are committed to providing the highest quality care to our patients, and we again offer our deepest condolences to Maria Christian’s family and loved ones.
Camille D. Chavez, MD and Vanity Cosmetic Surgery would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Maria Christian, a 32-year-old patient who underwent a highly popular abdominoplasty procedure yesterday afternoon at our cosmetic surgery facility, performed by one of our surgeons, Camille D. Chavez, MD. The patient had previously undergone two cosmetic surgeries, the most recent in January 2016, and was deemed in good health at the time of surgery. All standard pre-operative care was administered. Unfortunately, however, toward the end of the procedure, she suffered a cardiac arrest. Resuscitation efforts were immediately administered and 911 was subsequently called. Paramedics arrived promptly and transported Christian to Kendall Regional Hospital, where she subsequently passed away. The cause of Christian’s death will remain unknown until the forensic medical examiner has completed their examination. There is a risk of complications with all surgical procedures, and unexpected complications may arise. Miami-Dade Police inspected our facility and operating rooms during the initial investigation to ensure all was in compliance with standard protocols. Dr. Camille D. Chavez’s reputation as a compassionate and skilled surgeon is widely recognized and praised by patients and colleagues. Dr. Chavez has built a successful career with over 30 years of experience specializing in microsurgery, trauma surgery, craniofacial surgery and cosmetic surgery. Dr. Camille D. Chavez and Vanity Cosmetic Surgery are committed to providing the highest quality care to our patients, and we once again extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Maria Christian.
