Reports WomensHealth:
As more details emerge about Joan Rivers’ death, one thing is clear: It could have been prevented. When it comes to elective surgery, even famous people – who have access to the best – aren’t immune to complications …
One lesson we can learn from this tragedy is to think – more than twice – before going through any non-essential surgery, says Dr. Marc Leavey, primary care specialist at Mercy Medical Center. In his career, he has seen people want unnecessary surgery, cosmetic or otherwise. After fighting to have it, they end up with untoward complications from disability to death. “Surgery is surgery, whether ‘major’ or ‘minor,’ and should not be entered into lightly,” he says.
To read the full article and WomensHealth’s citation of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety’s four ways in which patients can learn from Rivers’ experience, please click here.