Dead liposuction patient was new mum

Dance teacher Lee Ka-ying, who died on Thursday after undergoing liposuction at a private clinic specialising in hair transplants, had given birth to a baby daughter nine months ago and weighed 113kg at the time of her death, it emerged yesterday.

About 1.7 litres of fat were extracted from the 32-year-old mother of one by a woman general practitioner who was believed to have been the patient's friend for more than 10 years, according to initial police inquiries.

Lee was accompanied to the Regrowth Hair Transplant Centre, in Kincheng Commercial Centre, Carnarvon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, by her boyfriend, who is also the father of her child.

Dr Kwan Hau-chi, also aged 32, and four staff members began the procedure at 11.30am, according to a police source. At about 3.30pm, an ambulance was called to the clinic after Lee lost consciousness. She was taken unconscious to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, where she was declared dead at 5.06pm on Thursday.

"Initial examination showed fat was removed from the waistline in the back through four openings," the source told the

Veteran plastic surgeon Dr Gordon Ma Fong-ying said liposuction would normally be considered high risk when 2 litres or more of fat was extracted. Special medical conditions, such as obesity, which is linked to diabetes, hypertension and heart problems, would increase the risk.

On its website, the Medical Council shows Kwan qualified as a general practitioner in 2006. Health Secretary Dr Ko Wing-man said yesterday that general practitioners were permitted to carry out liposuction.