Patient Dies After Cosmetic Procedure, Strax Responds

Liposuction/fat transfer patient suffered a complication during procedure

Sunrise Fire Rescue responded to a call last week at a Lauderhill cosmetic center and found a 50-year-old female patient  “unconscious, pulseless and not breathing,” according to a police incident report.

Fire Rescue responded to Strax Rejuvenation at 4300 North University Drive on March 22, the Lauderhill Police report said.

Idell Frazer, of Hollywood, was transported to Florida Medical Center where she was pronounced dead, police said.

"Strax has been informed that the Medical Examiner has ruled the patient’s cause of death was an adipose tissue embolism and that there was no fault on the part of the patient’s surgeon or Strax.," said Strax Attorney Peter Mineo in an email statement to NBC 6.

"This patient and her surgeon chose to use Strax’ facilities for her adipose transfer procedure. One of the known and recognized complications of this procedure is that in a very small percentage of patients an adipose tissue embolism can occur. When it does occur it is untreatable and often fatal. The patient’s medical records reflect that she was told about this very small but real risk and consented to the procedure after discussing this with her surgeon," the statement said.

In December 2010 another Strax patient Lidvian Zelaya also died of after a liposuction /fat transfer procedure.

Regarding the March 22 case, the Broward County Medical Examiner Dr. Darren Trelka told NBC 6 on Tuesday, the official cause and manner of death have not been certified as of yet. The case is pending toxicology and microscopic examination and those results could be available in a couple of weeks.

 

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