A British woman died after undergoing Brazilian butt-lift surgery in Turkey, an inquest has heard.
Hayley Dowell suffered medical complications at a private clinic after her surgeon left half way through the operation, a coroner was told.
The 38-year-old Briton went under the knife and had a Brazilian butt-lift (BBL), a tummy tuck, and liposuction – a package that costs more than £7,000 – in October last year.
Her husband, Neil Dowell – who accompanied her on the trip – claims that doctors at the Turkish clinic did not outline the risks of the procedure to his wife, the inquest heard.
Mrs Dowell, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, is thought to be one of six Britons who died in Turkey in 2023 following medical procedures in Turkey.
Hayley Dowell, 38, suffered medical complications at a private clinic in Turkey after her surgeon left half way through the operation, an inquest heard
Mrs Dowell died after undergoing the surgery at BHT Clinic in Istanbul in October 2023 (pictured is a stock image of the clinic)
The country is popular with Britons for its reduced prices on cosmetic surgery, although it has been the subject of warnings by UK health officials.
A BBL involves increasing the size and shape of a person’s bottom by removing fat from one area of the body and transferring it to their buttocks.
Winchester Coroner’s Court, Hampshire, was told Mr and Mrs Dowell arrived in Turkey on October 1 last year.
It was heard she went under the knife at the BHT Clinic in Istanbul on October 2 and died ‘at around midnight’ on October 3.
A preliminary hearing into her death was told that she suffered an embolism – an issue that can arise after surgery and causes a potentially fatal blood flow blockage.
Mr Dowell said he and his wife carried out research to find the clinic, adding: ‘We found a surgeon that had a clinic named after himself. He was one of the [top five] surgeons in Turkey.’
However, he told the coroner she had ‘only consented to two’ of the three operations she had, although he did not identify which one she had not agreed to.
Details about the procedures were not heard at the preliminary hearing, however Mr Dowell raised concerns about his wife not having information provided to her.
‘There was not any risk outlined to her’, Mr Dowell claimed.
Liposuction that offers to remove up to 15 litres of fat, Brazilian butt lifts, eye colour-changing laser treatments and hymenoplasties are all offered in clinics across Turkey
Turkish clinics offer packages including VIP airport transfers in ‘luxury vehicles’ and 5-star hotel stays with breakfast. Some even promise free tours of cities like Istanbul and the choice to take another guest at no additional cost, as well as 24/7 emergency lines, overnight nurse visits and even massages
Mrs Dowell’s mother, Ann, said her daughter ‘would not have known the risks’ of one of the operations because she didn’t consent to all three, the inquest heard.
One of Mr Dowell’s biggest concerns is the change to the length of the operation.
‘It should have been a six hour operation but it wound down to one hour 45 [minutes],’ he said at the inquest. ‘The surgeon left halfway through the operation and left the anaesthetist to do the job. You can’t do both at the same time.’
Mr Dowell also said: ‘They asked me to sign the consent form after she passed away, after the BBL.’
Coroner Nicholas Walker said he will be conducting a full investigation into the information Mrs Dowell received and the circumstances of her death.
Mr Walker also suggested he will be writing a Prevention of Future Deaths report to help stop future tragedies occurring.
A full inquest will take place in January.
Previously it has been reported that British woman Michelle Heath, from Belfast, flew to Istanbul to visit BHT Clinic to have her saggy skin fixed, however suffered from health issues as a result of a surgery.
Michelle Heath (pictured) appeared on This Morning in April to talk about her horror plastic surgery which has left her scarred for life
On its website, BHT Clinic states it welcomes international patients and boasts of having ‘the technological infrastructure and equipment available only in Turkey and in a limited number of centres in the world’.
The website also states: ‘We have the mission of ‘Becoming a World Brand in Health’ by applying patient and employee safety in international quality standards based on ethical principles with its medical infrastructure.’
BHT Clinic did not have an official representative or spokesperson at the preliminary hearing and it is not yet known if the clinic will be providing evidence to the inquest in January.
According to medical tourism website Bookimed, BHT Clinic offers a ‘Premium Liposuction with Tummy Tuck and BBL All Included’ for Euro 8,838 [£7,314].
The Foreign Office website states that at least six Britons died in Turkey in 2023 following medical procedures.
In 2022, it was reported that 17 Britons had died in the country since 2019 after medical tourism visits.
MailOnline has approached BHT Clinic for comment.
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