West's Death Raises Questions On Plastic Surgery

The death of rapper Kayne West's mother, Donda West, connected to plastic surgery, is raising questions on the safety of a procedure that's recently gained heightened popularity.

Reality shows like Dr. 90210 and FX's smash hit Nip/Tuck have put the lime light on the glitz and glamor of Hollywood plastic surgeons, as of late, and the procedures they perform.

It was celebrity surgeon, Jay Adams, host of Discovery Channels Plastic Surgery: Before and After, that performed the tummy tuck and breast reduction on West, suspected to have caused her death.

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It is not certain if the surgery killed West, after the five hour procedure in L.A., but the coroners office say it's a possibility.

It is also unclear if West had a medical condition or if she got too many procedures done at one time. Surgery complications can include allergies to anesthesia and the clotting of blood.

Tummy tuck surgery in particular, reports FOX News, is one of the riskier surgery's and breast reduction, a longer procedure, holds its downside too.

The longer a patient is on the operating table under anesthesia, doctors say, the greater the risk.

"If a doctor agrees to do more than one major procedure at the same time," says NBC10.com, "you should probably look for another doctor."

Board-certified plastic surgeons say this kind of surgery is as safe as any other, citing a mortality rate of one in 51,000 cases.

The most important precaution, reports NBC, is to ensure that the plastic surgeon is board certified and Adams was not.

Donda West was the mother and also manager of Kayne West's rap career. An autopsy will be performed Wednesday to determine the cause of death.