31-Year-Old Singer-Influencer Dies After Botched Cosmetic Surgery In Turkey

A 31-year-old singer and influencer from Mozambique died on Sunday, hours after a botched cosmetic surgery in Turkey. According to Turkiye Today, Ana Barbara Buhr Buldrini travelled to Istanbul with her husband, renowned Mozambican artist Elgar Sueia, to undergo a breast augmentation, liposuction and a nose job. The hospital had entered a commercial agreement with the influencer, according to which she was receiving the procedures free of charge in return for promoting the clinic. But hours after the procedure at Tusa Hospital in Istanbul, she went into cardiac arrest and tragically died. 

Mr Sueia, who married the 31-year-old a month ago, said it was his wife's dream to "improve her aesthetic standards," the outlet reported. Following the procedure, he was informed by medical personnel that his wife's heart had slowed down. In an emotional account of what happened next, he stated, "I lost control. I cried, shouted, and punched the walls. I saw her in the morgue. She is looking beautiful, but she was dead."

Mr Sueia also alleged that his wife was taken into surgery earlier than scheduled, just days after an initial consultation, and without any urgent medical indication. He also claimed that the 31-year-old was not appropriately prepared for the operation. The surgery, he said, required fasting, but she was operated on after having eaten. 

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According to Turkiye Today, the hospital had previously faced scrutiny over other surgery-related deaths and had recently changed its name. It reportedly issued a written statement outlining its version of events. 

The hospital stated that the influencer had been referred to as a dental surgery patient. She had been given full legal and medical information and had signed all necessary consent forms. The surgery was conducted under standard operating conditions, but it resulted in an "unexpected complication" during the recovery phase, the hospital said. 

Further, it explained that the 31-year-old experienced ventricular fibrillation, a serious heart rhythm disturbance, and suffered cardiac arrest. Medical staff attempted to revive her for over 90 minutes but were unsuccessful. "Despite all efforts by our expert anesthesiology team, the patient could not be resuscitated," the hospital said. It added that legal procedures had been initiated to determine the definitive cause of death and that they were cooperating with authorities.