While the idea of undergoing a cosmetic procedure might seem puzzling or even frightening to some, the fact remains that thousands of people elect to place their appearance in the hands of cosmetic surgeons every year. Yet it’s always important to understand that, even though these types of procedures can typically be performed in a few hours with minimal recovery time, they are not without risk of serious surgical errors.

To illustrate, consider the experience of an Oklahoma man who has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a cosmetic surgeon who he claims is responsible for the complete destruction of his nose.

According to court documents, the then-35-year-old man was feeling a need to “be a little selfish” after a divorce in 2006 and decided to undergo a surgical procedure to fix his nostrils, which he felt were slightly asymmetrical.

After carefully vetting 10 different doctors, the man decided to go with a surgeon who performed the procedure as expected the first time. However, the man indicated that he began experiencing breathing problems shortly afterward and went back to his surgeon to address the issue.

“The primary problem was the breathing issue,” said the man. “My nose shape wasn’t deformed in any way.”

The breathing problems endured and the man underwent another 21 surgeries from June 2006 to July 2012, with the surgeon trying everything from metal implants to transplanted cartilage. Unfortunately, all of the surgeries proved unsuccessful and the man ultimately developed a series of severe nasal infections that resulted in “amputation.”

The man even had to undergo two more surgeries by another doctor and now breathes through a collapsible plastic tube instead of his nose.

“They started trying to fix it by doing procedures they weren’t qualified to do,” said the man’s attorney. “They tried to do it anyway instead of admitting their error and getting someone else to intervene. They just kept doing surgery after surgery after surgery.”

The medical malpractice lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages above $75,000 for pain and suffering, medical expenses and loss of earnings, among others. It also accuses the surgeon of overprescribing addictive painkillers and sleeping pills despite the man’s admission that he was feeling suicidal.

This case truly illustrates just how important it is for those patients who been victimized by medical negligence to speak with a determined attorney who will protect their best interests and work to secure justice.

Source: ABC News, “Nose job nightmare: Man sues after 24 surgeries,” Katie Moisse, June 13, 2013