The family of a ‘beautiful’ young mother who died after a ‘frankly barbaric’ botched Brazilian butt lift operation in a Turkish clinic yesterday begged women not to risk their lives for the sake of a more shapely bottom.
Demi Agoglia, from Salford, Greater Manchester, flew to Istanbul in January with her partner Bradley Jones after spotting a celebrity-endorsed advert on social media offering cut-price cosmetic plastic surgery.
But tragically the 26-year-old – the mother of three children, the youngest a seven-month-old baby – died in hospital three days after operation from a suspected microscopic fat embolism, where injected fat leaks into the bloodstream.
After hearing from an expert witness in the inquest that Ms Agoglia’s tragic death could amount to ‘manslaughter’, a coroner today said he would be writing to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to take measures to stop young women travelling to Turkey for such procedures.
‘I feel that something needs to be done to stop this frankly barbaric medical practice being conducted to such low standards which would not be tolerated within the United Kingdom,’ John Pollard told Ms Agoglia’s family at Bolton Coroner’s Court.
At least another three British women have died after travelling to Turkey for a Brazilian butt lift in the past six years, frequently paying around one-third of the £10,000 cost of having the procedure in the UK.
Just last month Mr Streeting warned women to ‘think very carefully’ before flying overseas for such procedures, leaving the NHS to ‘pick up the pieces’ of botched cosmetic surgery.
After the hearing, Ms Agoglia’s sister Chloe, 23, said: ‘I think there should be some sort of law stopping people going to Turkey for these operations. I would not recommend anyone going to Turkey for surgery.
Demi Agoglia (pictured), from Salford, Greater Manchester, flew to Istanbul in January with her partner Bradley Jones after spotting a celebrity-endorsed advert on social media offering cut-price cosmetic plastic surgery
But tragically the 26-year-old – the mother of three children, the youngest a seven-month-old baby – died in hospital three days after operation from a suspected microscopic fat embolism, where injected fat leaks into the blood stream
‘Our Demi was so beautiful and just didn’t need any surgery at all. She only went because of feeling so down in herself and not feeling good enough. We have been through the worst possible heartbreak as a family.’
Earlier Ms Agoglia’s partner Mr Jones, a landscaper, told the hearing she had found an advert for Comfort Zone Surgery on social media.
He said: ‘I did not want her to go. I didn’t want to go with her.’
Mr Jones said they were housed in a villa next to the hospital, with surgery performed on January 5.
Two days before she died she complained of tightness in her chest, and the following day she collapsed and was taken to hospital in a taxi.
She was admitted to an intensive care unit but doctors said there was nothing they could do to save her and she died on January 8.
Her mother Christine Tydd told the hearing she had told Ms Agoglia that she did not need the operation to improve her looks.
But she said: ‘She was determined to go. She was conscious about the way she looks. There was no changing her mind.’
Fat is first harvested from the hips, lower back, abdomen, thighs and other areas via liposuction. Special equipment is used to prepare it for transfer before it is injected directly into the glutes at specific points, giving the buttocks a bigger, curvier appearance
After hearing from an expert witness in the inquest that Ms Agoglia’s tragic death could amount to ‘manslaughter’, a coroner today said he would be writing to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to take measures to stop young women travelling to Turkey for such procedures
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No-one from the hospital gave evidence at the inquest, which did hear from expert witness consultant plastic surgeon Omar Tilo.
He said the likely cause of Ms Agoglia’s death was a microscopic fat embolism contributed to by neglect.
He told the inquest that the ‘grave failings’ of the clinic in Istanbul could have amounted to manslaughter.
Mr Tilo agreed with the coroner that there was ‘a paucity of documentation’ about Demi’s treatment in the Avrasya clinic – one of Comfort Zone Surgery’s contracted hospitals – about pre-operative consultation, anaesthetic charts and post-operative monitoring for signs of infection or deep vein thrombosis.
He said that the procedure carried the risk of pulmonary embolism or microscopic embolism, where fat leaks into the blood tissue.
The consultant said the ‘harvested’ fat had to be purified before being injected into the skin around the buttocks and not the muscle – a practice which was banned in the UK in 2017 because of the risks.
He said that there was no evidence of an informed consent process which in the UK would involve a 14-day cooling off period between the first consultation and the operation.
Mr Tilo told the inquest: ‘It is most likely that she was asked to sign the form and did not understand what she was signing.’
Her sister Chloe set up an online fundraiser in support of her children, writing: ‘She was one of kind! Everyone who knew Demi knew how much her boys meant to her’
Liposuction, Brazilian butt lifts, eye colour-changing laser treatments and hymenoplasties are all offered in clinics across Turkey
Ms Agoglia’s tragic death comes after previous warnings about the potentially deadly consequences of cut-price cosmetic surgery in Turkey.
He agreed with the coroner that Ms Agoglia was also ‘grossly lacking in post operative care’ such as blood-thinning injections or observation of any blood loss.
‘This unfortunate outcome may have been preventable with expert medical knowledge,’ he added.
Mr Tilo said he had considered whether the failings amounted to manslaughter and added: ‘The more I think about it, that is my feeling.’
Coroner Mr Pollard gave a conclusion of misadventure and added: ‘This inquest is especially sad.
‘Demi decided she was apparently not pretty enough and, despite her partner saying she did not need improvement, she went to Turkey for a Brazilian butt lift.
‘She went to Turkey because the process is quicker and cheaper than in the UK.
‘The operation was carried out without proper informed consent and the peri-operative care was peremptory, with little or nothing in the way of post-operative care.
‘The post operative care was between woeful and completely non-existent. The care fell far below the standards for this type of operation and this lack of care significantly contributed to Demi’s death.’
Ms Agoglia’s tragic death comes after previous warnings about the potentially deadly consequences of cut-price cosmetic surgery in Turkey.
At least another three British women have died after travelling to Turkey for a ‘Brazilian butt lift’, paying around one-third of the £10,000 cost of having the procedure in the UK.
Increasingly popular in recent years thanks to curvaceous celebrities like Kim Kardashian, the operation sees fat harvested from elsewhere on the body and injected into the buttocks.
According to the Foreign Office over 25 British nationals have died in Turkey since the start of 2019 following medical procedures of all types.
Following Ms Agoglia’s death last January, her brother urged women not to travel to Turkey to have the procedure, which carries among the highest death rates of any cosmetic surgery.
‘If anyone is thinking of flying to Turkey for an operation I would say don’t do it,’ her brother Carl, 37, told The Sun.
‘But she is 26 and has her own mind. Her mum didn’t want her to go out either. She is only 26, she shouldn’t have die. Just don’t do it, it’s such a high risk.
‘She should never have done it. She has left three young kids, including a seven-month-old baby.’
At the time distraught friends questioned why the mother-of-three had felt the need to have surgery, saying she was ‘perfect already’.
‘Wish you knew how perfect you already was!’ wrote Sophie Lea Becks, adding: ‘Can’t stop thinking of you, your boys and your family.’
‘I can’t get you off my mind, more needs to be done about these f****** stupid companies,’ Megan Holland posted. ‘You was perfect already and now you’re not even here.’
Her sister Chloe set up an online fundraiser in support of her children, writing: ‘She was one of kind! Everyone who knew Demi knew how much her boys meant to her.’
Another sister, Georgina uploaded an emotional tribute video on TikTok, saying: ‘I lost my sister yesterday. I miss you so much Demi. Nothing feels real anymore. How can you be gone?
‘Just wanna hear you shout alright Rkid nothing will ever be the same without you I love you Demi x.’
Melissa Kerr (pictured), from Gorleston, Norfolk, died at a private hospital in Istanbul in 2019 aged just 31 while undergoing a BBL
Leah Cambridge (pictured), 29, from Leeds, died at a private hospital in Turkey in 2018 after she suffered a massive pulmonary embolism while having the procedure
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Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) have increased in popularity in recent years thanks to curvaceous celebrities like Kim Kardashian.
The procedure involves either fat from other parts of the body or silicone implants being inserted, giving the buttocks a bigger, curvier appearance.
Melissa Kerr, from Gorleston, Norfolk, died at a private hospital in Istanbul in 2019 aged just 31 while undergoing a BBL.
A fatal clot travelled to her lungs after fat taken during a liposuction procedure was injected into her buttocks.
Leah Cambridge, 29, from Leeds, died at a private hospital in Turkey in 2018 after she suffered a massive pulmonary embolism while having the procedure.
Despite a death rate of one per 4,000 operations, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons says BBLs are the fastest-growing type of cosmetic surgery, increasing in popularity by 20 per cent year-on-year.
In 2022 it issued new guidelines to members following a four-year moratorium on BBLs due to the high death rate, recommending a more superficial procedure called an SGL (superficial gluteal lipofilling).
The following year the organisation issued an unprecedented joint statement with its Turkish counterpart urging patients to ensure surgeons were fully certificated before considering undergoing BBLs in the country.
Following Ms Agoglia’s death, the Foreign Office reiterated warnings about medical tourism to Turkey.