A 48-year-old woman died this week at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Envigado, a municipality just outside Medellín in Colombia’s Antioquia region, shortly before she was set to undergo a breast-lift procedure known medically as a mastopexy.
According to a police report cited by local media, Mónica Maritza Saldarriaga arrived at the clinic for the scheduled operation. Before medical staff administered anesthesia, she told a nurse she was experiencing intense pain in her left arm—a symptom that can signal cardiac trouble. Medical personnel were alerted, but soon afterward Saldarriaga went into cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Staff attempted to resuscitate her, but she could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her body has been turned over to Colombia’s national forensic institute, Medicina Legal, which will conduct further studies to determine the exact cause of death.
Local authorities have not yet clarified what triggered the medical emergency or whether any protocols were violated. The case adds to growing scrutiny of cosmetic clinics in the Aburrá Valley region, where several similar facilities have recently been shut down following complaints and safety violations.
Investigators say they will continue examining the circumstances surrounding Saldarriaga’s death as part of an ongoing inquiry. For the full story and more details, read the original report at El Tiempo.
Source: Mujer de 48 años murió en una clínica estética de Envigado: reportó fuerte dolor antes de la anestesia (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Michael Baltz.