A British man, aged 38, has unfortunately passed away following a hair transplant operation that took a turn for the worse abroad.
The individual had traveled to Turkey with the intent of undergoing the cosmetic procedure when he suddenly began to feel unwell.
Initially admitted to the Dr. CINIK clinic, a private facility in Istanbul’s Besiktas, initial reports claimed he became sick post-surgery. However, the clinic contested this statement.
Previously, the man had a successful hair transplant at the same clinic in July last year. Before his second procedure could commence this time, he was urgently taken to a nearby hospital and placed in intensive care, but sadly he did not survive.
An inquiry has now been initiated to investigate the cause of his unexpected demise, with some alleging ‘reckless homicide’.
In a statement to Metro, a spokesperson for the clinic explained that the patient became unwell ‘unexpectedly’ prior to the start of the hair transplant procedure.
They clarified that this occurred during the ‘preparatory phase’ and not while the operation was underway.
The clinic stated it had conducted ‘all necessary medical evaluations and tests’ before the procedure. They said, “These assessments were conducted under the supervision of an anesthesiologist, and the patient was cleared for surgery.”
The man’s remains have been transported to the Forensic Medicine Institute where an autopsy will determine the cause of death before his body is returned to the UK.
CINIK expressed being ‘deeply saddened’ by the loss of their patient and detailed the circumstances of the incident.
“In July 2024, the patient had previously undergone a successful hair transplant procedure at our clinic, and following his satisfaction with the results, he returned for a second procedure,” they stated.
“Prior to the second operation, all necessary medical evaluations and tests (including blood work, chest X-ray, ECG, etc.) were carried out thoroughly and without omission, just as they were during the first procedure. These assessments were conducted under the supervision of an anesthesiologist, and the patient was cleared for surgery.”
“However, before the hair transplant procedure began and during the preparatory phase, the patient unexpectedly became unwell for reasons that are still unknown.”
“Immediate medical intervention was provided, and he was urgently transferred to a fully equipped university hospital. Despite ongoing intensive care treatment throughout the day, the patient sadly passed away later that evening.”
The clinic emphasized that it is a ‘seasoned medical institution’ with over 70,000 hair transplant procedures performed.
“All relevant medical documentation related to this incident has been submitted to the appropriate authorities, and the matter is currently being investigated by judicial bodies,” they stated.
They further noted that information circulating in the media ‘does not reflect the truth’.
“Claims suggesting that the patient passed away during the procedure or that the operation was interrupted midway are incorrect.”
“The incident occurred before the hair transplant procedure had begun. Due to the ongoing legal process and out of respect for the family’s privacy, no further details will be disclosed at this time.”
An FCDO spokesperson commented to the news outlet: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.”