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TV surgeon pays damages to woman who had a stroke during facelift
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent17 Jul 2008
A leading London plastic surgeon agreed to pay a six-figure compensation package to a woman who had a stroke while he carried out a facelift.
Jan Stanek, who appears in Channel 4 reality show 10 Years Younger, is to pay the money to Diane Newbould after she was left unable to speak properly and in need of lifetime care because of the stroke.
His clinic is currently facing legal action from BBC newsreader Kate Silverton after she was left with a bloated face when she went to have minor scars treated.
"I was told it would be a routine procedure and I'd be back to work in days. The treatment, however, caused a massive skin reaction," said the presenter.
In the case of Mrs Newbould, Mr Stanek was accused of failing to take into account her medical history before agreeing to carry out a facelift and liposculpture.
She was obese, a heavy smoker and her medical problems included bronchitis and a history of hypertension.
Lawyers for Mrs Newbould claimed she should have been told to "undergo significant lifestyle changes" - particularly to lose weight and cut down on cigarettes - before she had the operation at a private London facility in January 2002.
Her blood pressure was said to have fluctuated widely during the operation and, when her daughter saw her afterwards, she was paralysed down her right side and unable to speak. Her lawyers alleged she had suffered a "cerebral infarct" during the operation.
Lawyers for Mr Stanek, who is based in Wimpole Street and has a private clinic in Chiswick, settled the claim without admitting liability. Although the amount of the payout was kept confidential, the patient's solicitor, Janet Baker, revealed that it was "a significant, six-figure sum".
More than six years after the operation, Mrs Newbould, now 53, still has problems speaking. She has limited comprehension skills and finds it difficult even to read a book or watch TV. She is also prey to "emotional and psychological difficulties" and will need care throughout her life.
The High Court heard that she was looked after by her husband in the wake of the operation, but that became impossible after he himself suffered two strokes. The couple have now left their home in Sheffield for southern Spain, where Mrs Newbould is cared for by her daughter and son-in-law.
Mrs Newbould sued Mr Stanek and the anaesthetist involved in the operation, claiming their negligence had wrecked her life.
Mr Justice Cranston approved the settlement of Mrs Newbould's case after a brief hearing today.
After the hearing Ms Baker said: "They are very happy that this has settled and Mrs Newbould has been spared the anxiety of having to come to court to go through a trial."
The solicitor said the compensation would be invested and used to cover the costs of her client's future care.
MrStanek is considered one of the leading surgeons in his field and is well know around the world after featuring in the Channel 5 series, Plastic Fantastic.
The Oxford-educated fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons is a frequent lecturer on "aesthetic surgery" and has published journal articles and books on his area of expertise. His practice's website boasts of operations on more than 10,000 patients in the past 20 years and treatments on offer include face lifts, tummy tucks, breast implants, liposuction and cheek implants.
