The Medical Council of Thailand claims it is unlikely cosmetic nose surgery caused brain inflammation in a 22-year-old former high jumper for the Thai national athletics team.

ChamaipornKaeokua, a former high jumper for the Thai national athletics team, fell into acomaafter cosmetic nose surgery.

Samphan Khomkrit, secretary-general of the council, told a press conference yesterday nose surgery was not likely to have caused Chamaiporn Kaeokua to develop herpes encephalitis, although she was found to be suffering from the disease after the surgery.

Ms Chamaiporn remains unconscious three years later.

Dr Samphan said the council would investigate the clinic that provided the surgery to determine if it met proper medical standards.

“Procedures for nose surgery, eye surgery, sinus operations and facial operations with local anaesthesia are usually safe. however, all forms of operations may develop complications around the surgical areas such as inflammation or bacterial infection. in principle, the profiles of surgeons and clinics should be considered in the selection of service providers,” Dr Samphan said.

The council called the press conference after suggestions by Ms Chamaiporn’s father Sucheep Kaeokua that the woman’s nose surgery at a clinic on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok three years ago might have caused her brain infection.

Mr Sucheep said his daughter fell unconscious some time after coming out of surgery. The doctor at the clinic brought her back to her apartment. For hours she did not regain consciousness and her friends called the clinic doctor who took her to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital where she was kept under observation for six hours. Later, the clinic doctor took her back to the apartment. All the time she remained unconscious.

When she did not wake up, her parents took her to Kasemrad Hospital Rattanathibet where five days of treatment cost the family 130,000 baht. As the family could not afford further treatment, Ms Chamaiporn was transferred to Siriraj Hospital.

The clinic doctor had offered 130,000 baht to her family to help pay for her treatment and promised she would recover, mr Sucheep said.in yesterday’s press conference attended by senior doctors, Assoc Prof Dr Phakphum Supiyaphan, chair of the Royal College of Otolaryngologists – Head and Neck Surgeons of Thailand, said although nose surgery was close to the brain, it was not likely to have caused such an infection. But if the patient already had the disease prior to the surgery, it might have passed through her nasal mucous membrane and easily reached her brain.

Pol Maj Gen Dr Athapan Prommontharat, president of the Thai Association and Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine, said some patients might not be aware that they had dangerous herpes because there were no symptoms and during the operation, the disease could spread to the brain.

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