Medical tourism agency Gorgeous Gateways on New Zealand television

A Kiwi medical tourism company is on New Zealand television, promoting its success stories –despite past problems.

Gorgeous Getaways’ service has been investigated by coroners and subject to media attention after the deaths of two clients and surgery gone wrong.

Its new TVNZ ‘Beauty and the Beach’ shows portray success stories of its Kiwi customers who went to Thailand for cosmetic surgery.

In 2007 Krysia Zagrobelna died after her obesity surgery, organised by Gorgeous Getaways, went wrong in Malaysia.

In 2014, Gorgeous Getaways customer Leigh Aiple died after a marathon tummy tuck, liposuction, an upper eye lift, a chin tuck, lip filler, thigh lift and chest sculpting in Malaysia.

The company was not held responsible in either case.

Dr Sally Langley from the New Zealand Association of Plastic Surgeons argues that long distance travel and surgery mix and that local surgeons are left to clean up the mess with horrendous complications some patients had from botched operations abroad, such as broken-down wounds, infections, and infected breast implants.

Medical tourism supporters argue that local surgeons are just protecting their business and high local prices.