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Bust augmentation led to activation of tuberculosis in a woman
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
A loving mother of four died of cardiac arrest several years after undergoing breast augmentation surgery. The breast implants had awakened dormant tuberculosis bacteria in her body.
For most of her life, Englishwoman Kerry Elia hated her flat chest and dreamed of acquiring more enviable shapes. For many years, she saved money for plastic surgery, which was not easy for a mother of four. But finally, her dream came true, and doctors performed breast augmentation surgery.
However, the breast implants, which cost Kerry £3,750, were slowly killing her. A year and a half later, the woman began to cough violently. X-rays showed the presence of a dangerous lung disease - tuberculosis. Doctors are not sure where exactly Kerry caught this infection. But there is a theory that the tuberculosis bacteria had been in the woman's body for many years in an inactive, dormant state. And the breast enlargement led to their activation. However, no one in her family doubted for a second that antibiotics would kill the tuberculosis, which apparently happened soon.
But after some time, one of the implants exploded, and a huge hole appeared in the chest, through which blood began to flow. In the hospital, it turned out that the tuberculosis had returned, and its bacteria "ate" the scar tissue. The risk of infection was very high, the implants had to be removed. A year later, they were put in again, but then the second implant exploded, and they were removed permanently.
Breast augmentation left four children orphaned. Repeated tests showed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in her body, which was successfully treated. A year later, the tuberculosis returned, causing a lump in her breast. It was not a tumor, but scar tissue from previous surgeries that became infected. Doctors advised Kerry to remove her left breast, but she decided to have a double mastectomy to end all the ailments once and for all.
The damned tuberculosis returned for the third time a few weeks after the operation. This time the woman no longer responded to medication, and surgeons had to remove part of her lung. The operation was successful, and Kerry was discharged home. A month later, she began bleeding at night. Another hospitalization followed - this time the last. Two days later, the woman died in intensive care from cardiac arrest caused by massive internal bleeding.