Beauty clinic shuts down after client's death during surgery
A BEAUTY clinic in Samut Prakan province has reportedly closed down after one of its clients died on the surgery table recently.
Maythayar Mawong, 30, reportedly succumbed to malignant hyperthermia, a rare life-threatening condition that is usually triggered by exposure to certain drugs used for anaesthesia, while undergoing plastic surgery at the clinic last month. The clinic has reportedly offered financial compensation to her family, which has decided not to sue the clinic or doctor involved.
However, Maythayar’s story broke on social media, spreading quickly and attracting the attention of authorities.
Samut Prakan’s Public Health chief Dr Assadang Ruay-ajin said yesterday that he had sent officials to inspect the clinic in Muang Samut Prakan district, only to find that it had already closed down. “Its signboard has also been removed,” he said.
Health Service Support Department’s deputy director-general, Tares Krassanairawiwong, said that though nobody had lodged a complaint over Maythayar’s death, his agency had the power to investigate suspicious medical facilities.
“We need to ensure that medical facilities are in line with proper standards and that no further damage is done,” he said.
According to Tares, most beauty clinics don’t have the right facilities, tools or quality staff to conduct major surgery. “Life-saving equipment must be in place,” he pointed out.
Medical Council deputy secretary-general Samphan Komrit said only one or two malignant hyperthermia cases are reported in Thailand each year, adding that such deaths had been reported at plastic surgery clinics before.“We don’t sit idle. We are now working on a regulation to protect users of beauty services,” he said, adding that he expected the regulation to be implemented soon.
