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Celeb Surgeon Caught After 4 Days on the Run

By Lisa M. Schaffer, Esq. on August 27, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Dr. Bumbum, a famous Brazilian plastic surgeon with several hundred thousand social media followers, has been caught after being on the run from authorities for four days. Last month, he and his mother, who practices with him, were arrested after one of their patients, Lilian Calixto, fell fatally ill after a buttock enhancement surgery they performed in his Rio de Janeiro apartment.

Dr. Bumbum and his mum dropped the ill Calixto at the hospital without identifying themselves, where she subsequently died. Dr. Bumbum's real name is Denis Furtado. Now he, and his mother, Maria de Fatima Barros, face murder charges.

Furtado Potentially Used Unorthodox Practices

Furtado had performed over 9,000 of these operations successfully, and was a fixture on local television shows promoting this surgery. He claims he did nothing wrong, and that it was just a fatal accident. However, Furtado uses a chemical commonly know as PMMA in his buttock enhancement procedure. The Brazilian Plastic Surgery Society (BPSS) warns against using PMMA. Furtado is not licensed to practice plastic surgery in Rio, he is not a trained plastic surgeon, and the BPSS does not condone performing these surgeries in an apartment.

Medical Tourism on the Rise in Brazil

The BPSS will undoubtedly be diligent in protecting its reputation from Dr. Bumbum. According to the OFX Group, Rio de Janeiro is considered the World Capital of Plastic Surgery, and Brazil overall is recognized for its cosmetic surgery innovations. There are 14 accredited hospital in Rio and Sao Paulo specializing in plastic surgery, both for domestic and foreign patients.

There has been an increasing trend in medical rourism, especially plastic surgery, predominantly to save money. But you may end up paying a higher price. One of the reasons that overseas surgeries are less expensive is because there are fewer legal recourses and administrative protections than in the United States. It can be very difficult to successfully sue foreign doctors in the U.S., and often even harder to sue overseas as a foreign citizen. Sometimes the process can take as long as 20 years to resolve, and there can be jurisdictional issues regarding enforcement of any remedy.

If you have had a recent surgery go awry, contact a local medical malpractice attorney. Your attorney can review the facts of your case and talk with you about potential legal action. If you are planning a medical tourism visit, contact a medical malpractice attorney before you go to review any contracts prior to signing them. You'd hate to sign your life away without knowing it.

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