Cregan family tight-lipped on autopsy

THE family of a Limerick mother-of-two, who died after a face lift operation in New York went tragically wrong, yesterday refused to comment on reports that the autopsy was inconclusive.

A spokesman for the family of Kay Cregan said: "We are not commenting because the investigation into Kay's death is still ongoing with the New York authorities."

Mrs Cregan, 42, from Skeagh, Croom, died on March 17, three days after having cosmetic surgery to her nose and face at the Manhattan clinic. The procedure was carried out by Dr Michael Sachs.

Her husband Liam rushed to New York and was present when the life support machine was turned off at the hospital where she was brought from Dr Sachs' clinic.

Her family did not know she was having the operation.

A copy of the Sunday Independent with a feature on Dr Sachs was found in her handbag.

A Carlow woman who was given a free face lift by Dr Sachs was featured in the article as part of a move by him to attract more customers from this country to his New York clinic.

Mrs Cregan has two sons six-year-old Eoghan and eight-year-old Brian.

A New York state investigation into her death is still continuing.

Dr Sachs had come to the notice of the medical authorities and been sued 33 times for malpractice.

Five years ago the New York Daily News described him as the most sued doctor in New York.

Following an investigation last year into his treatment of a patient on whom he operated 16 times, Dr Sachs was banned from carrying out certain nasal procedures without another surgeon present.

Sachs said Mrs Cregan's death was a tragedy.

"We did everything we could to treat her with as much care, respect and love as we could," he said.

Mrs Cregan, who worked with Limerick City Council, travelled to New York on March 14 and went to have the facial surgery the following day at 6pm.

The surgery lasted three hours.

She went into cardiac arrest in the recovery room at the clinic the following morning and was rushed to the nearby Roosevelt Hospital, where attempts to revive her failed.

New York State Health Department are expected to issue a report on their investigation in the coming weeks.