Out-of-court settlement for breast surgery victim

Anita Roehsl, the Austrian citizen who lost her right breast and half of her left one after having cosmetic surgery, has been paid an out-of-court settlement on condition that she does not pursue legal action against her surgeon.

MaltaToday was told by two medical sources that a five-figure private settlement – over €100,000 – was reached between lawyers representing Roehsl and the surgeon, whose identity this newspaper is unaware of.

Both sides were said to have preferred not to take the matter into court.

In 2012, Roehsl underwent a seven-hour cosmetic surgery, which included removing excess skin from her arms, to have a breast lift and implants, costing €7,000. But after surgery, her right nipple turned black and she later learnt her breast tissue was rotting away due to poor blood supply.

Two months after surgery she had a further operation, at another hospital, to remove the dead tissue – which was all her right breast and half of her left breast.

With her condition deteriorating, she decided to get a second opinion and consulted a doctor at another clinic. The surgeon there operated on her the following day, removing all the dead tissue: Roehsl had contracted necrosis, the irreversible death of body tissue when there is an inadequate blood supply.

Roehsl filed a complaint with the Malta Medical Council, the body tasked with ensuring ethical and professional standards among doctors. The council can hear both parties before deciding whether to launch an inquiry into the complaint, which can lead to the suspension and even erasure of medial practitioners from the register.