Posted on February 9, 2011

Woman Dies After Buttock Injection

Irish Times, February 9, 2011

A woman who lived in Britain has died after travelling to the US for a cosmetic treatment to her buttocks that was arranged over the internet.

Detectives said Claudia Adusei (20), and three companions travelled from London and were staying at the Hampton Inn in southwest Philadelphia.

Two of them had visited the city in November to have their buttocks enlarged. On Monday, one received another injection while the other had a hip augmentation.

Police said the woman who had the buttock injection later complained of chest pains and had trouble breathing. Paramedics were called, and she was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital where she died.

Her death has sparked a police investigation.

The results of a postmortem examination by the Delaware County medical examiner’s office have not been released.

Detectives are now looking for two people who carried out the cosmetic procedure, which police said was arranged over the internet. “We’re not quite sure right now if that person performing that procedure is licensed or unlicensed,” said Lieutenant John Walker, of the Philadelphia police. “We’re still working that information right now.”

Lt Walker said investigators were also awaiting test results to determine the substance used.

TV channel NBC quoted the Delaware County medical examiner as saying Miss Adusei’s preliminary cause of death was silicone injected into her vascular system, which stopped her heart.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are aware of reports of a UK resident who tragically died in Philadelphia.”