Mother died after tummy tuck and BBL surgery at Turkish hospital, inquest told
Sophie Hunt died at Avrupa Safak Hospital in Istanbul, two days after having the cosmetic procedures
The family of a "bubbly" mother-of-two who died after flying to Turkey for a tummy tuck and Brazilian-butt lift (BBL) are concerned she was not fit for the surgery, an inquest has heard.
Sophie Hunt, 34, from Northampton, died at Avrupa Safak Hospital in Istanbul on March 9 2022, two days after having the cosmetic procedures at the city's private Nisantasi Hospital.
On Thursday, an inquest into her death at Northampton Coroner's Court was told Ms Hunt had multi-organ failure and died after she went into cardiac arrest three times.
In a statement read to the court by assistant coroner Sophie Lomas, Ms Hunt's mother Sandra Hunt said her daughter flew to Turkey for cosmetic procedures including a tummy tuck and BBL, but lost consciousness after the surgery and had swelling in her hands.
Ms Hunt's mother said paperwork from the hospital showed "some of her ECG (electrocardiogram) readings indicate an abnormal heartbeat", which she has been told was not healthy.
She added: "We believe she was not fit for the surgery."
Her statement also said she had concerns that there may have been 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, she "does not have the jurisdiction to fully investigate what happened in that hospital".
Ms Lomas added: "I have to reach the findings on the information I do have."
A report provided by Turkey'sCouncil of Forensic Medicine said: "The individual had no known medical illnesses. She presented to hospital with dissatisfaction of the abdomen and buttocks."
It added she had an abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, and liposuction on March 7 2022, before she experienced "sudden loss of consciousness".
Ms Hunt was resuscitated, the inquest heard, but experienced a second cardiac arrest in an ambulance on the way to another hospital with a specialist cardiac intensive care unit, where she later died with respiratory failure and organ failure.
The Turkish investigation found Ms Hunt died "as a result of abdominoplasty and liposuction procedures and the complications that developed thereafter".
A post-mortem examination was carried out by consultant histopathologist Professor Kevin West when Ms Hunt's body was repatriated to the UK, the coroner said, who also concluded she died due to complications of the surgery.
The inquest heard Prof West said the "exact cause of cardiopulmonary arrest is unclear", but is likely to be because of the procedures.
The coroner recorded a narrative conclusion which said: "Sophie Hunt died due to complications of a surgical procedure carried out whilst abroad."
Ms Hunt's mother said in her written statement: "Sophie was outgoing, bubbly and very kind.
"She worked as a chef and enjoyed cooking and music."