A 41-year-old nursing assistant has died during surgery to remove toxic biopolymer fillers from her buttocks, prompting health authorities in Colombia to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
The deceased, Paula Andrea Beltran Sandoval, a New York resident originally from Medellín, Colombia, reportedly returned to her hometown to undergo the specialized cosmetic procedure after developing serious health complications linked to previously injected biopolymer fillers.
According to local reports, Beltran Sandoval traveled to Medellín on June 15 to spend time with her family and undergo the operation, which had been arranged while she was living in the United States. She reportedly paid approximately 38 million Colombian pesos (about £8,335) for the surgery.
The procedure was carried out on June 18 at a medical facility located within the medical tower of the El Tesoro shopping complex in Medellín’s upscale El Poblado district.
However, what was expected to be a corrective surgery turned fatal after complications arose during the operation.
Reports indicate that approximately one hour and 10 minutes into the procedure, after surgeons had successfully removed a significant amount of the biopolymer material, Beltran Sandoval suddenly suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest.
Medical personnel immediately initiated emergency life-saving measures, including advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation and multiple rounds of defibrillation using electric shocks. Despite more than 40 minutes of intensive efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead on the operating table.
Preliminary findings suggest that Beltran Sandoval had no known underlying medical conditions or previous illnesses that would have indicated she was at heightened risk before the surgery.
Authorities also disclosed that injuries observed on her chest were consistent with the extensive resuscitation attempts carried out by the medical team during the emergency and were not believed to be related to the surgical procedure itself.
Following the incident, the Antioquia Department of Health announced the opening of an official investigation to determine the exact cause of her death.
Specialists from the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences are expected to conduct a comprehensive autopsy, while health regulators examine the clinic’s operating licenses, medical records, and the qualifications of the professionals involved in the procedure.
The case has further intensified concerns over cosmetic surgery safety in Medellín, a city widely known for medical tourism and aesthetic procedures.
Beltran Sandoval’s death marks the second fatality associated with cosmetic treatments in the city within a few months. Earlier this year, 30-year-old Carolina Merchan Jaramillo also died after undergoing a cosmetic procedure at a beauty center in the El Poblado area.
In response to growing complaints and safety concerns, Colombian authorities have increased inspections of clinics and beauty establishments offering aesthetic treatments. Officials say at least 64 establishments have already been shut down after inspectors discovered regulatory violations and other irregularities.
Biopolymer injections, once promoted for body enhancement procedures such as buttock augmentation, have been banned in Colombia because of their potentially severe health consequences.
Medical experts warn that the substances can migrate through the body and trigger chronic inflammation, tissue death (necrosis), infections, deformities, autoimmune reactions, and life-threatening complications, often years after injection.
The use of biopolymers for cosmetic purposes is also prohibited in the United Kingdom and several other countries due to the significant risks associated with the substances.
Authorities are expected to release additional findings after the autopsy and regulatory investigation are completed.
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