An Australian cosmetic surgery clinic says it has reviewed its procedures after an investigation found breast implant patients were given potentially dangerous doses of drugs during surgeries.
A NSW Health Care Complaints Commission probe found patients at The Cosmetic Institute were placed at risk after adrenaline was routinely administered in combination with local anaesthetics at dosages well above safe levels, according to an ABC report.
The HCCC's report, obtained by the ABC, said that in the last 12 months six patients had suffered potentially life-threatening complications during breast implant operations.
The adverse effects included irregular heartbeat, seizure, and cardiac arrest, with some of the patients requiring resuscitation.
The HCCC also found The Cosmetic Institute was only licensed to perform conscious sedation and patients had not given consent to go under deeper sedation or general anaesthetic.
In response, The Cosmetic Institute's general manager Andrew Gill said all anaesthetics were provided by Australian-registered anaesthetists, and that patients were monitored at all times.
He said since last year all surgeries have been carried out at the licensed Concord Private Hospital, and the clinic had reviewed its procedures "to ensure safe upper limits for adrenaline and local anaesthetic usage".
"Since TCI commenced operations in 2012, it has experienced a rate of growth in demand for its services that was not anticipated," Mr Gill said in a statement.
"TCI has performed more than 15,000 breast augmentation procedures in that period and the very small number of complications is considered well within clinically acceptable levels.
"Nevertheless, TCI has learned much from this period of rapid growth and is determined that the care and safety of its patients remains all-important."
Last year the NSW government raised the possibility of legislation to address the regulatory gap that allows major surgery to take place at cosmetic clinics.
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