Malpractice suits mount against Utah surgeon amid board-certification concerns
Key Takeaways
Christopher Kelly, MD, a prominent Utah cosmetic surgeon, has faced disciplinary action against his license in three states.
At the same time, multiple lawsuits have been brought against Dr. Kelly by former patients, with many citing his apparent lack of board certification.
His patients allegedly experienced substantial complications following breast lifts, neck lifts, and other cosmetic procedures.
Christopher Kelly, MD, a plastic surgeon operating in Utah, has reportedly performed over 10,000 cosmetic surgeries during his 22-year surgical career.[][]
Despite his extensive experience, however, Dr. Kelly is not board certified, and he is now making headlines due to a handful of recent lawsuits filed by former patients, who cite (among other issues) his lack of certification.[]
Long list of allegations
Dr. Kelly is associated with multiple local hospitals and owned a cosmetic surgery practice in South Jordan, UT.[]
Former patients say they believed Dr. Kelly was board-certified when they chose him for their surgeries. These patients were also unaware of the malpractice suits that had been filed against Dr. Kelly, as well as the actions against his license in multiple states.
The allegations against Dr. Kelly have left patients with substantial complications. In the past 2 years, suits filed against Dr. Kelly have included:
An ongoing lawsuit involving a man who alleges that poor wound care instructions from Dr. Kelly after a neck lift led to a serious infection. The former patient will need several corrective surgeries and will likely suffer permanent damage.
A recently settled case involving a woman who had a breast lift that left her with significant pain, open wounds, and necrosis. After corrective surgery, she learned that the implants Dr. Kelly had used for her procedure were larger than the ones she had requested.
An ongoing case of a woman who claims that Dr. Kelly and his staff failed to follow infection control procedures during her surgery and that she received a breast lift without her consent. She was left with damage that required five reconstructive surgeries.
A lawsuit involving a woman who alleges she developed chronic blood pressure problems after Dr. Kelly performed a fat removal procedure. Her ongoing suit alleges that she has to take blood pressure medication to compensate for internal burns damage and swelling that resulted from the burns.
A history of disciplinary action
Dr. Kelly is a 2002 graduate of Wayne State University’s School of Medicine and completed a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at the Detroit Medical Center.[] He also completed a fellowship at Michigan Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Records show that although he applied for national board certification in 2010, he did not acquire it.[]
During Dr. Kelly’s 20-year career, disciplinary action has been taken against him in three states. Incidents include:
Dr. Kelly reportedly attempting to form a romantic relationship with a patient after he performed surgery on her in 2007. According to the patient, Dr. Kelly asked her to move to Michigan with him and inappropriately touched her during a rectal exam. He was fined $5,000 and required to complete a workshop on medical ethics and boundaries.
A 2011 incident in Michigan related to a facelift procedure. A patient with a history of cardiac problems experienced chest pain and a severe headache after Dr. Kelly administered an anesthetic. Dr. Kelly reportedly offered to call an ambulance, but the patient declined. She was later taken to the hospital, where she underwent heart surgery. Dr. Kelly was fined $2,500 for not insisting on the patient’s immediate transport to the hospital.
Board certifications and cosmetic surgeons
Nationally, there are no defined restrictions on who is allowed to practice under the title of aesthetic, plastic, or cosmetic surgeon. Some states have regulated these titles and put restrictions, such as national board certifications, into place.
However, this ambiguity can lead to confusion for patients seeking a surgeon. A 2017 survey published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal found that 87% of respondents either believed that plastic surgeons must be appropriately credentialed before advertising their services, or were unsure.[]
In Utah, cosmetic surgeons aren’t required to hold any board certification.[] The state allows any licensed physicians who have some form of general surgical or plastic surgery training in their background to perform cosmetic plastic surgery. Anne Peled, MD, the owner of APMD Aesthetics in San Francisco, tells MDLinx that board certification is often key to patient safety, especially for complex procedures.
“For riskier procedures, including high-volume liposuction and Brazilian butt lifts, it’s particularly important to be treated by a board-certified plastic surgeon at an accredited surgery center or hospital to reduce complication risks,” Dr. Peled says.
Plastic surgery and risk
Plastic surgery is sometimes linked to a higher risk of complications. For instance, Benjamin Caughlin, MD, FACS, a facial plastic surgeon at Impressions Chicago, tells MDLinx that some procedures, such as the Brazilian butt lift, are more dangerous than standard surgeries. In other cases, Dr. Caughlin says, complications can seem heightened because cosmetic surgeries are elective.
“Every surgery has risks, but complications in plastic surgery are often publicized more because it’s an elective procedure. For example, if a complication happens during cancer surgery, it feels more justified than when someone is trying to improve the appearance of their nose,” Dr. Caughlin explains.
What this means for you
Dr. Christopher Kelly, a plastic surgeon in Utah, is facing scrutiny due to multiple lawsuits from former patients, which cite (among other issues) his lack of board certification. The lawsuits allege severe complications from his procedures, including infections and improper care, and reveal a history of disciplinary actions in several states. Despite his extensive experience, Dr. Kelly’s lack of certification and disciplinary record highlight the importance of board certification for ensuring patient safety in cosmetic surgery.