Litany of botched ops

120913: (ALL THE FOLLOWING WORDS ARE COPIED FROM WEBSITE http://www.theclinic.co.za) Metamorphosis Clinic...When you're ready for something special. Dr Luke Gordon Dr Luke Gordon South African born in Boksburg, a mining town on the East Rand. Having grown up in the area, he went to Christian Brother's College. After completing school, he went to Stellenbosch University for his undergraduate training. He obtained his medical degree in 1987 after which he did his housemanship at the Frere Hospital in the Eastern Cape. He commenced specialising at the University of Natal in 1990 and was admitted as a Member of the College of Surgeons (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery) in 1995. Picture: Handout/Supplied

120913: (ALL THE FOLLOWING WORDS ARE COPIED FROM WEBSITE http://www.theclinic.co.za) Metamorphosis Clinic...When you're ready for something special. Dr Luke Gordon Dr Luke Gordon South African born in Boksburg, a mining town on the East Rand. Having grown up in the area, he went to Christian Brother's College. After completing school, he went to Stellenbosch University for his undergraduate training. He obtained his medical degree in 1987 after which he did his housemanship at the Frere Hospital in the Eastern Cape. He commenced specialising at the University of Natal in 1990 and was admitted as a Member of the College of Surgeons (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery) in 1995. Picture: Handout/Supplied

Published Apr 10, 2014

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Johannesburg - They paid thousands of rand to plastic surgeon Luke Gordon for cosmetic procedures.

But the operations were botched. Since then, one’s marriage has broken down, the other’s marriage is on the rocks, while a third cries every time she sees her deformed chest in the mirror.

Three former patients of Gordon’s broke down on Wednesday while giving evidence at a Health Professions Council of SA hearing. Gordon’s suspension hearing started on Tuesday, but he has refused to attend, and on Wednesday’s proceedings were held in his absence.

Charlotte (not her real name) wanted to increase her C cup to a D. Her surgery was in December last year. When she woke up, she realised her right breast was smaller than the left.

The left breast was swollen all the way to the collarbone. The right one kept dropping lower, and the nipple became septic.

Charlotte wept as she explained the pain and challenges she went through after the operation. “My left breast is bigger than the right one and its nipple points to the right. The right breast is lower than the left one and its nipple is higher.

“Both breasts are still a C cup, but smaller. I have very bad scarring. My breasts are lumpy. The nipples are jagged and out of proportion. This has put a lot of strain on my marriage,” she said.

While Charlotte still has her breasts and the septicaemia did not result in their being amputated, Heugene Murray was not that lucky. He lost his left leg soon after his operations.

Murray had wanted calves that were proportionate to his bodybuilder’s physique. Exercise had done nothing, so he approached Gordon for calf implants.

The right leg had not given Murray problems. However, there was no feeling in his left leg after the operation, and it turned purple.

It had to be amputated.

In his evidence on Wednesday, Murray recalled Gordon crying next to his bed while he was in bed in hospital.

“I’m sorry I f****d up your life. My life is also f****d and I’m suicidal,” Gordon allegedly said.

Murray said he uses a bionic leg that is very expensive.

His marriage collapsed after the operation and he has since had the implant in the right leg removed.

Tanya Sleigh, who wanted her size G breasts reduced, said that when her right nipple kept oozing blood and its colour changed after the operation, she went back to Gordon. He allegedly told her the nipple had not taken to the tissue. He then took her to his surgery.

There, he took a pair of scissors and cut the nipple out without any anaesthetic. She screamed in pain.

“He then took Betadine, mixed it with sugar, put it in my wound, put a sanitary towel on it and sent me home,” she testified.

The hearing continues.

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The Star

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