London - A mother of three died from a blood clot days after she had breast enlargement surgery.
Louise Harvey, 36, underwent the procedure at a private clinic because she wanted to enhance her looks.
But she collapsed 17 days later at home in Norwich after complaining of shortness of breath and later died in hospital.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as pulmonary embolism following breast augmentation. The risk of a blood clot increases after an operation.
Coroner Yvonne Blake said Miss Harvey had decided to have the operation to ‘improve her appearance’.
The inquest heard how Miss Harvey also underwent a tummy tuck procedure at the same time as her breast operation.
The surgery known as an abdominoplasty involved removing excess fat from her middle and lower abdomen. This also may have contributed to her death.
The beauty therapist recently shared a cartoon on her Facebook page with the caption: ‘Never change to be accepted by others. Stay weird.’
But in one exchange with a friend she wrote: ‘Haha people are really concerned I can’t get a man lol [laugh out loud].’
Elsewhere on her profile she had written: ‘Being a hopeless romantic stuck in a hook-up culture is a special kind of hell.’
She also posted glamorous photos of herself and others of her spending time with her children Kayleigh-Anne, 18, Owen, 11, and Jaxon, six.
Details of the case were heard this week at an inquest which was opened and adjourned until March next year.
The preliminary hearing in Norwich was told Miss Harvey had the operation at a clinic in London in June. She died on July 5 at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
A JustGiving page has been set up by friend Mark Hutson to raise £5,000 for her children and help provide them with a ‘stable and happy future’. He wrote: ‘Louise Harvey sadly passed away recently after a blood clot formed in her body.
‘It has been a shock to us all that this beautiful, young, devoted mother-of-three has been taken away from us so early and without warning when she had so much to live for.
‘We have received an overwhelming response from family and friends offering condolences and support and would like to contribute in some way to ease the suffering her death has caused.’ He added: ‘Louise’s legacy is her children. We only wish to provide them with the love and support that they need now and for the future.’ Donors included Jenny Mann, who said: ‘So unbelievably sad. Such an amazing mum and just a kind soul. Really was.’
NHS advice on breast augmentation warns: ‘It can be expensive, the results aren’t guaranteed and there are risks to weigh up.’
Risks of the operation, which costs between £3,500 and £7,000, include a clot forming in the deep veins, infection, excessive bleeding, nerve problems and not being able to breastfeed. A pulmonary embolism is caused when a clot develops in a deep vein and breaks off into the bloodstream before blocking a blood vessel in the lungs.
Professor Beverley Hunt, of charity Thrombosis UK, said: ‘Surgery of any kind increases a person’s risk of suffering a blood clot. It is essential and mandated in England that every person admitted to hospital should be VTE (venous thromboembolism) risk-assessed.’
She added that patients should be advised to seek medical attention if they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, unexplained pain, swelling or tenderness.