FL Teen Dies During Breast Surgery
Submitted by Carina Rose on Thu, 03/27/2008 - 02:43
Boca Raton, Florida: She was called "Sunshine" because of her blonde hair and smile; She was lively and well-liked captain of her varsity cheerleading team at West Boca High School; She was hoping to study medicine at the University of Florida, but unfortunately she’s no more in this world. Yes, Stephanie Kuleba, a South Florida teenager, who had plans to be a doctor died after corrective breast surgery on Saturday.
According to the reports, Stephanie Kuleba was undergoing surgery to correct asymmetrical breasts and an inverted areola. She suffered and died due to what doctors believed was a fatal reaction to anesthesia during breast augmentation surgery.
Her family attorney, Roberto Stanziale told Tuesday that Stephanie Kuleba, who was 18 years old teenager; died on Saturday, about 24 hours after her surgery. She was rushed to Delray Medical Center about two hours into the procedure to correct asymmetrical breasts and inverted areola.
Reckoning that it was too early to determine if any legal action would be taken, Stanziale said, “This was something that was believed to be a routine procedure. There was never any indication that she was not going to walk out of that surgical suite. It's obviously devastating."
According to the Doctors, the cause of death was malignant hyperthermia, a relatively rare metabolic condition that can be triggered by certain anesthesia. A patient's heart rate and metabolism rises, causing the body temperature to rise as high as 112 degrees.
The Board-certified plastic surgeon, Stephen Schuster, who performed the surgery at an outpatient facility in Boca Raton, said in a statement, "I am devastated by the loss and I feel for the family."
Meanwhile, Kuleba's grieving friends gathered at parking space at a Boca Raton high school with flowers, candles and a teddy bear to mourn their lovely friend’s demise. "I have chills right now just thinking about it," Ashley Gutknecht, 18, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It doesn't seem real."
