Make-up artist sues over botched nose job

Make-up artist sues over botched nose job
03 Dec 2010

Title: Make-up artist sues over botched nose job
Source: Straits Times
Author: K. C. Vijayan




Legal News Archive


CELEBRITY make-up artist Yuan Sng's quest for the perfect nose led him to undergo six operations. But the seventh time he went under the knife, he ended up with a disfigured nose.

That is what he is claiming in a legal suit against plastic surgeon Amaldass N. Dass, who is contesting the case.

Mr Sng, 39, alleged that Dr Dass was negligent in performing the rhinoplasty - plastic surgery to reconstruct the nose - that was meant to raise the bridge of his nose and make it look sharper.

Instead, he claimed he ended up with a swollen right cheek and pus in his nasal cavity.

Mr Sng, whose clients have included China-born movie star Gong Li and Italian actress Isabella Rossellini, then went for at least another five operations to fix his nose, according to his legal papers.

He claims that Dr Dass, who is married to model Junita Simon, is not on the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) Register of Specialists as a specialist in plastic surgery.

Dr Dass said yesterday: 'I am advised there is no merit in this claim and have instructed lawyers from Allen & Gledhill to respond robustly on my behalf.'

The doctor, who obtained his medical degree in 1996, became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2006. He did a year-long fellowship in cosmetic surgery at the Cambridge Private Hospital in England and also trained under a plastic surgeon from Lisbon, Portugal.

Mr Sng's suit was filed last week by lawyers from Drew & Napier, led by Mr Wendell Wong. Dr Dass's lawyers Edwin Tong and Mak Wei Munn are expected to file a statement of defence soon.

A High Court pre-trial conference is due next month.

Mr Sng consulted Dr Dass in February 2008 to improve on his previous nose jobs.

He said he was advised by Dr Dass that the nose implant from a previous plastic surgery was too large, and he was persuaded to change it.

Dr Dass assured him the surgery would make his nose sharper, slimmer and fit his face better, he claimed.

But the surgery took 61/2 hours, during which he suffered extreme pain, he alleged.

Complications later arose - his cheek swelled, his nose turned red and puffy, and there was pus in the nasal cavity.

He needed treatment over several weeks, including another operation to clear the infection in his nose.

When further complications arose in May 2008, Dr Dass told him that they were the effects of previous operations.

Mr Sng then saw another specialist to remove the infected nose implant, but was told his nose would collapse.

He then flew to Seoul to see two South Korean plastic surgeons who, in June that year, removed the infected implant.

Two months later, they attempted to rebuild his nose with a new implant. This was followed by several more operations until March this year.

Mr Sng wants damages including the $77,000 he spent in Seoul and Singapore, in addition to sums to be assessed by the court for pain, suffering and breach of contract.

High Court claims start at $250,000.

He is alleging medical negligence, claiming among other things that the clinic failed to take reasonable care to advise him on the risks and potential complications.

It is understood the allegation that Dr Dass was not properly registered was the subject of a complaint to the SMC, but it was dismissed after a probe.

Mr Sng wants redress for alleged breach of contract as the operation failed to make his nose smaller, slimmer and more suited to his face.

With his court documents were statements from two experts, including plastic surgeon Woffles Wu, suggesting the operation could have been better managed.

Dr Dass said yesterday: 'All medical procedures involve a possibility of complications, the risk of which cannot be eliminated. Patients who encounter complications are frequently and understandably upset.'

Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Permission required for reproduction.