Cosmetic Surgery Info
Some Interesting History On Liposuction
The surgical procedure known as liposuction dates back to the 1920's. There are some prominent Italian surgeons who designed the surgery, but there is one case that is infamous in the annals of plastic surgery. As recorded, Charles Dujarier, a prominent and well qualified French surgeon, who is the first known recorded surgeon to use suction assisted liposuction, operated on a beautiful young Parisian model named Mademoiselle Geoffre on February 17, 1926.
It seems that the beautiful young model was unhappy with the contours of her legs and wished for the surgeon to reshape them. Obviously, liposuction surgery must have been quite popular even then. For some unknown reason, the operation turned into a nightmare. The cosmetic surgeons stitches were responsible for onset of gangrene, and the surgeon had to amputate the model's leg. The model sued the doctor in court, and the court found against the surgeon who was ordered to pay 200,000 francs in compensation to the model for her leg.
What was even worse, the court banned plastic surgery, and to practice plastic surgery was to break the law. The case continued in court for two more years, but, finally, the surgeon was told that he absolutely must pay the compensation ordered by the first court. The good news was that plastic surgery was removed from the banned list of illegal activities in France. However, the surgeon died almost immediately after the ruling of the second court.
If we are to learn anything from history, it is that all surgeries involve risks. What the second French court did though that has continued to this date is to insist that the surgeon have the patient sign a form agreeing to the surgery and fully aware of the possible consequences or risks involved.