The family of a mother-of-two who died after flying to Turkey for cosmetic surgery are concerned she was not fit for the procedures, an inquest has heard.
Sophie Hunt, a 34-year-old chef from Northampton, died at Avrupa Safak Hospital in Istanbul on March 9, 2022.
She died tragically two days after undergoing a tummy tuck and buttock lift (BBL) at the city’s private Nisantasi Hospital.
An inquest into Mrs Hunt’s death at Northampton Coroner’s Court heard she suffered multiple organ failure and died after going into cardiac arrest three times.
Ms Hunt’s mother, Sandra Hunt, said her daughter was “bubbly, outgoing and very kind” in an emotional written statement read to the court.
The bereaved mother’s statement added that paperwork from the hospital showed “some of the EKG readings indicated an abnormal heartbeat,” which she was told was not healthy.
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He added: “We believe she was not suitable for the operation.”
Hunt’s mother said her daughter lost consciousness after the operation and had swelling in her hands.
He also raised concerns that there could be a complication from the BBL procedure if too much fat was injected or removed from Ms Hunt’s body.
The coroner told the inquest that because Ms Hunt died in another country, he “does not have the jurisdiction to fully investigate what happened at this hospital”.
Assistant coroner Sophie Lomas added: “I have to get to the findings on the information I have.”
A report provided by the Forensic Council of Turkey said: “The person did not have any known medical illness.
“She presented to the hospital with abdominal and buttock complaints.”
She added that she had a tummy tuck, also known as a tummy tuck, and liposuction on March 7, 2022.
Ms Hunt then experienced a “sudden loss of consciousness”, the document said.
He was revived but suffered a second cardiac arrest in an ambulance on the way to another hospital with a dedicated cardiac intensive care unit.
It was at that hospital where he later died of respiratory failure and organ failure, the court heard.
The Turkish inquest found that Ms Hunt died “as a result of tummy tuck and liposuction procedures and the complications that developed afterwards”.
A post-mortem examination was carried out by the consultant histopathologist professor Kevin West when Ms Hunt’s body was repatriated to the UK.
The coroner also concluded that he died due to complications from the surgery.
The inquest heard Professor West said “the exact cause of the cardiopulmonary arrest is not clear” but it was likely to be due to the procedures.
The coroner recorded a narrative conclusion which read: “Sophie Hunt died as a result of complications from surgery carried out abroad.”
