British woman, 38, dies after £7k Brazilian butt-lift surgery in Turkey

A British woman died after paying thousands of pounds for a Brazilian butt-lift surgery in Turkey, an inquest has heard.

Hayley Dowell, 38, suffered medical complications at a private clinic after her surgeon left half way through the operation, a coroner was told.

She went under the knife and had a Brazilian butt-lift (BBL), a tummy tuck, and liposuction - a package that costs more than £7,000 - in October last year.

Her husband, Neil Dowell - who accompanied her on the trip - claimed that doctors at the Turkish clinic did not outline the risks of the procedure to his wife.

Mrs Dowell, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, is thought to be one of six Britons who died in Turkey in 2023 following botched medical procedures.

The country is popular with Britons for reduced prices on cosmetic surgery, although it has been the subject of warnings by UK health officials.

A BBL involves increasing the size and shape of a person’s bottom by removing fat from one area of the body and transferring it to their buttocks.

Mr and Mrs Dowell arrived in Turkey on 1 October last year, Winchester Coroner’s Court was told on Wednesday.

She went under the knife at the BHT Clinic in Istanbul on 2 October and died at around midnight on 3 October, the court heard.

A preliminary hearing into her death was told that she suffered an embolism - an issue that can arise after surgery and causes a potentially fatal blood flow blockage.

Mr Dowell said he and his wife carried out research to find the clinic, adding: “We found a surgeon that had a clinic named after himself. He was one of the [top five] surgeons in Turkey.”

However, he told the coroner she had only consented to two of the three operations she had, although he did not identify which one she had not agreed to.

Details about the procedures were not heard at the preliminary hearing, however Mr Dowell raised concerns about his wife not having information provided to her.

“There was not any risk outlined to her”, Mr Dowell claimed. Mrs Dowell‘s mother, Ann, said her daughter “would not have known the risks” of one of the operations because she didn’t consent to all three.

One of Mr Dowell‘s biggest concerns is the change to the length of the operation. “It should have been a six hour operation but it wound down to one hour and 45 [minutes],” he said.

“The surgeon left halfway through the operation and left the anaesthetist to do the job. You can’t do both at the same time.”

Mr Dowell also said: “They asked me to sign the consent form after she passed away, after the BBL.”

Coroner Nicholas Walker said he will be conducting a full investigation into the information Mrs Dowell received and the circumstances of her death.

Mr Walker also suggested he will be writing a Prevention of Future Deaths report to help stop future tragedies occurring. A full inquest will take place in January.

BHT Clinic has “the technological infrastructure and equipment available only in Turkey and in a limited number of centres in the world”, according to its website.

The website also states: “We have the mission of ‘Becoming a World Brand in Health’ by applying patient and employee safety in international quality standards based on ethical principles with its medical infrastructure.”

BHT Clinic did not have an official representative or spokesperson at the preliminary hearing and it is not yet known if the clinic will be providing evidence to the inquest in January.

At least six Britons died in Turkey in 2023 following medical procedures, according the the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

It was reported in 2022 that 17 Britons had died in the country had died since 2019 after medical tourism visits.