Litigation and Complications Arising from Aesthetic Body Surgery: A Systematic Review.

IF 2.8 3区医学 Q2 SURGERY

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Pub Date : 2025-10-15 DOI:10.1007/s00266-025-05276-y

Saule A Mussabekova, Yuliya Menchisheva, Álvaro Varela Morillas

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Aesthetic body surgeries such as liposuction, abdominoplasty, gluteoplasty, and breast augmentation have seen a global rise. However, the growing popularity of these procedures has led to increased reports of postoperative complications and medico-legal disputes.

Objective: To systematically review complications and litigation outcomes associated with aesthetic body surgeries and identify the most common risk factors contributing to legal claims.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines (registration on PROSPERO ID: CRD420251043585). Forty-one studies published since between 2020 and 2025 were included. Complications, allegations, and legal outcomes were extracted and analysed. Risk of bias was assessed using JBI and ROBINS-I tools.

Results: Infection (48.7%), fat embolism (26.8%), and hematoma (21.9%) were the most frequent complications. Gluteal fat grafting had the highest mortality and legal risk, with a 7.77% incidence of fat embolism. Inadequate informed consent was a leading allegation in over 50% of cases. Claims most often resulted in dismissal (45-76%), but 20-40% led to settlements or plaintiff verdicts, especially in cases of severe complications such as embolism or disfigurement. The pooled average of favourable verdicts for surgeons was 54.3% (95% CI: 49-59%). Publication bias was suggested by asymmetrical funnel plot distribution and high heterogeneity (I² > 90%).

Conclusion: Medico-legal disputes in aesthetic body surgery commonly arise from preventable complications, especially when informed consent is inadequate or postoperative care is substandard. Standardised consent process, improved documentation, procedure-specific risk communication, and regulation of outpatient practices are critical to reducing litigation risk.

Level of evidence iii: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

查看原文本刊更多论文

美体手术引起的诉讼和并发症：系统综述。

背景：吸脂、腹部成形术、臀肌成形术、隆胸等身体美容手术在全球范围内呈上升趋势。然而，这些手术的日益普及导致了术后并发症和医疗法律纠纷的增加。目的：系统回顾与美体手术相关的并发症和诉讼结果，并确定导致法律索赔的最常见危险因素。方法：根据PRISMA指南进行系统评价（在PROSPERO注册ID: CRD420251043585）。其中包括自2020年至2025年以来发表的41项研究。提取和分析了并发症、指控和法律结果。使用JBI和ROBINS-I工具评估偏倚风险。结果：感染（48.7%）、脂肪栓塞（26.8%）和血肿（21.9%）是最常见的并发症。臀脂肪移植术死亡率和法律风险最高，脂肪栓塞发生率为7.77%。在超过50%的案件中，不充分的知情同意是主要指控。索赔通常导致驳回（45-76%），但20-40%导致和解或原告判决，特别是在栓塞或毁容等严重并发症的情况下。对外科医生的总体平均有利判决为54.3% （95% CI: 49-59%）。不对称漏斗图分布和高异质性（I2 bb0 90%）提示发表偏倚。结论：美体手术的医疗法律纠纷通常由可预防的并发症引起，特别是在知情同意不充分或术后护理不合格的情况下。标准化的同意程序、改进的文件、特定程序的风险沟通和门诊实践的监管对于降低诉讼风险至关重要。证据等级iii：本刊要求作者为每篇文章指定证据等级。有关这些循证医学评级的完整描述，请参阅目录或在线作者说明www.springer.com/00266。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 医学-外科

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

25.00%

发文量

479

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is a publication of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the official journal of the European Association of Societies of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (EASAPS), Società Italiana di Chirurgia Plastica Ricostruttiva ed Estetica (SICPRE), Vereinigung der Deutschen Aesthetisch Plastischen Chirurgen (VDAPC), the Romanian Aesthetic Surgery Society (RASS), Asociación Española de Cirugía Estética Plástica (AECEP), La Sociedad Argentina de Cirugía Plástica, Estética y Reparadora (SACPER), the Rhinoplasty Society of Europe (RSE), the Iranian Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeons (ISPAS), the Singapore Association of Plastic Surgeons (SAPS), the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), the Egyptian Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ESPRS), and the Sociedad Chilena de Cirugía Plástica, Reconstructiva y Estética (SCCP). Aesthetic Plastic Surgery provides a forum for original articles advancing the art of aesthetic plastic surgery. Many describe surgical craftsmanship; others deal with complications in surgical procedures and methods by which to treat or avoid them. Coverage includes "second thoughts" on established techniques, which might be abandoned, modified, or improved. Also included are case histories; improvements in surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals, and operating room equipment; and discussions of problems such as the role of psychosocial factors in the doctor-patient and the patient-public interrelationships. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is covered in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, SciSearch, Research Alert, Index Medicus-Medline, and Excerpta Medica/Embase.