Twelve months since Kay died after face-lift

IT IS 12 months since the country was shocked by the death of a Limerick mother after a face-lift operation went wrong at a New York clinic.

Despite the publicity surrounding the death of Kay Cregan, plastic surgery is a booming business in Ireland, with Limerick leading the way as a centre for facial and other procedures.

Three plastic surgeons offer a variety of surgical procedures at Barrington’s Hospital and Clinic.

And the Harley Clinic opened consultation rooms at Corbally Medical Centre three weeks ago. Patients are assessed there and have their surgery at a private hospital in the midlands.

When the appointments book at the Harley Clinic opened for business on February 23, it filled within a few days with more than 20 people seeking various forms of cosmetic surgery.

Kay Cregan, who was married with two children, decided to go to New York for her surgery. She wanted the face-lift as a surprise for her husband.

A life-support machine which had been keeping her alive for two days was switched off at St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, on March 17, in the presence of her husband Liam, who had rushed to her bedside from their home in Croom, Co Limerick.

She underwent surgery at the nearby clinic of Michael Sachs on March 14.

Dr Sachs has been involved in more than 30 malpractice cases since 1995.

Ms Cregan, a senior official at Limerick City Council, found out about Dr Sachs through a news feature in the Sunday Independent.

The article made no reference to his notoriety in the medical profession.

As a result of what she read, she made contact with Dr Sachs and agreed to pay him $32,000 (€24,694) for a nose job and face lift.

She lost consciousness while in a recovery room at the clinic on March 15 but later died in hospital.

Her death has now been taken up by lawyer Michael Moore, who specialises in medical malpractice cases. He filed documents for a law suit against Dr Sachs and anaesthetist Dr Madhavrao Subbarao. They are accused of negligence, carelessness and gross indifference.

Dr Sachs’ lawyer, Jay Butterman, denies any wrongdoing on behalf of his client.