A fourth Texan has died of fungal meningitis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The CDC has warned anyone who received epidural anesthesia (injection into the spine to numb a part of the body) during surgery is at risk and should go to the nearest emergency room to get tested, even if they don’t have have symptoms.
The epidural is used in procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation and Brazilian buttock lifts, which can be more than $16,000 cheaper than in the US.
The CDC believes that about 180 Americans who traveled to clinics in Matamoros this year could be at risk, urging people to get to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible to be evaluated, even if they have no symptoms.
Four Texans have died after undergoing cosmetic surgery, including liposuction in Mexico. Health officials say the women were treated at clinics in Matamoros, Mexico, including River Side Surgical Center (left) and Clinica K-3 (right)
Ms. Robinson traveled to Mexico for liposuction, a BBL and breast augmentation by Dr. Luis Manuel Rivera De Anda. She is pictured pe-op (left) and post-op (right)
The clinics under investigation are River Side Surgical Center and Clinica K-3 in Matamoros, Mexico, both of which are now closed.
Two of the four deaths have been confirmed as fungal meningitis, and two are probable, the CDC said.
One of the women, Lauren Robinson, 29, died last week after traveling to Mexico on Feb. 27 for low-cost cosmetic procedures.
TikTok videos previously shared by the Texan mother of four suggest she contracted the deadly yeast infection after liposuction, a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) and a boob job.
Dr. Luis Manuel Rivera De Anda, who is listed online as a gynecologist, performed her surgery.
His Instagram shows a plethora of pre- and post-surgery photos and promotes an offer of full liposuction, a BBL, and breast augmentation for $5,000.
It is not known whether Ms. Robinson’s infection had anything to do with Dr. Robinson’s actions. Rivera DeAnda.
Dr. Rivera De Anda did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.
The mother of four was diagnosed with meningitis after her plastic surgeries, which ultimately killed her
About 1.2 million U.S. residents travel to Mexico each year to receive elective surgery at a discount, according to Medical Tourism Mexico, which advertises that patients can save up to 80% on a similar procedure in the U.S.
The map above shows the location of Matamoros, where the procedures took place. People are urged not to go there for plastic surgeries
Shortly after her surgery, Mrs. Robinson developed a severe headache.
Her husband, Garret Robinson, told her 12News“She was great, the results were great, everything was fine, she started going back to work, and then she started telling me constantly, ‘I’ve got a headache, something’s not right.'”
After visiting multiple hospitals in Galveston, Texas, doctors took spinal fluid and blood from Ms. Robinson and sent it for testing.
She was then diagnosed with meningitis.
Health officials believe that the fungal meningitis can be contracted if medical devices such as the needle used during an epidural or medications such as morphine are contaminated with fungi or if proper infection prevention practices are not practiced.
During her final weeks in hospital, Mrs. Robinson suffered four strokes. She is one of three American victims who died after the cosmetic surgery in Matamoros.
Mr. Robinson said: ‘I can’t explain what it feels like to go through this, and I can’t say enough to everyone, don’t do it.’
According to the CDC, four confirmed cases of fungal meningitis have been detected from samples.
Fourteen of the cases are suspected fungal meningitis — infections of the brain and spinal cord — and ten are probable.
The patients reported symptoms such as headache, fever, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, confusion and sensitivity to light.
The infection causes swelling of the protective lining around the brain and spinal cord, known as the meninges.
Testing for fungal meningitis includes a lumbar puncture, also called an epidural, to collect fluid to be checked for meningitis in a lab.
Health care workers will insert a needle into the patient’s lower back in an area near their spine to collect the fluid.
If patients test positive for fungal meningitis, they will be given antifungal medications in the hospital, which they may need to take at home for several months.
If they test negative, patients are advised to watch for symptoms for at least four weeks after their epidural.
It’s possible to test negative initially and later develop meningitis, the CDC warned, meaning patients should go back to the emergency room if they have new or worsening symptoms.
If patients remain asymptomatic, some doctors may recommend a second epidural about two weeks after the first to make sure no infection has developed.
An update from the Texas Department of State Health Services said: ‘Fungal meningitis can be life-threatening and detecting infections early is important for treatment.
“Public health workers are reaching out directly to people in Texas who have had surgery at two clinics in Matamoros to inform them of the situation and what steps to take.”
CDC officials are investigating exactly how patients were exposed to the infectious fungus during the surgeries, and whether other clinics were involved.
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