Florida doctor arrested for wife's death: Is plastic or cosmetic surgery dangerous? (2024)

Gulf Breeze plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Brown has been arrested and charged in the death of his wife, Hillary Ellington Brown, who went into cardiac arrest in November 2023 while her husband was performing procedures on her in his office. She died a week later after she was taken off life support.

Brown, 41, of Restore Plastic Surgery, was charged with second-degree felony homicide: manslaughter by culpable negligence and is being held in the Santa Rosa County Jail pending first appearance. Brown turned himself in Monday after an arrest warrant was signed by a judge on Friday.

Here's what you need to know.

Who is Hillary Ellington Brown?

Hillary Brown, 33, of Mobile, Alabama, attended Oxford High School and graduated from North Delta in Batesville, Mississippi, where she pursued a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering at the University of Mississippi, according to herobituary.

Ben and Hillary began dating in 2021 and married in June 2022, according to his social media. Their family consisted of three young children from her previous marriage and two sons of Ben's own.

Hillary's father Marty Ellington said that the two had a “volatile” relationship but that she mostly enjoyed their life, especially having her husband regularly perform plastic surgery procedures on her.

How did Hillary Ellington Brown die?

At the time of the incident on Nov. 21, 2023, Hillary was undergoing multiple procedures, according to the state investigation: a miniature muscle plication/abdominal scar revision, bilateral arm liposuction, lip injection and ear adjustment procedures.

The state said that Hillary, who is not a licensed medical professional, was allowed to prepare and administer her own anesthesia solution before her husband Ben performed the procedures on her. According to the report, during the surgery, Hillary showed signs of lidocaine toxicity before she became unresponsive, but Ben continued to administer lidocaine and operate on her.

Hillary lapsed into a coma with such severe brain swelling that recovery was deemed impossible. She died a week later after being removed from life support.

“We need prayers for a miracle," Ben posted on social media a few days later. "Hillary had a cardiac arrest on Tuesday afternoon. We called 911 and started CPR. Her heart came back but her brain is not doing well. She has been in a coma since she went unconscious on Tuesday. Hillary Ellington Brown you are my soulmate, my world, my everything. Please come back. Please!”

However, a Florida Health Department investigation revealed that Brown reportedly waited to call 911 after Hillary Brown becameunresponsive in his surgical chair and waited at least 10 to 20 minutes before beginning CPR. Investigators also said he did not have life-saving equipment readily available in his office and did not follow proper medical protocol when administering sedatives which ultimately led to her death.

What is the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery?

"Simply put, cosmetic procedures are performed to enhance someone's overall appearance by reshaping and adjusting an anatomy that is already there as a way to make something more visually appealing," according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

This can mean Botox injections, tummy tucks, nose jobs, breast augmentation or reduction, facelifts, and Florida's favorite, the dangerous Brazilian butt lift. Many plastic surgeons perform cosmetic surgery.

But much of what plastic surgeons do is reconstructive surgery that seeks to restore function and appearance to people with birth defects, repair damage caused by accidents or burns, and address the impacts of medical conditions such as different forms of cancer.

All cosmetic surgery is plastic surgery. Not all plastic surgery is cosmetic.

Do plastic or cosmetic surgeons need to be licensed?

Cosmetic surgery is considered elective, is generally minimally invasive, and can be performed by doctors from "a variety of medical fields," including plastic surgeons, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS).

But while cosmetic surgeons can become board-certified in cosmetic surgery procedures, there are no government requirements for any medical professional — which can also mean dentists, ophthalmologists, gynecologists, internists and more — to complete any formal training or certification before advertising and taking patients as a cosmetic surgeon.

In contrast, plastic surgery requires years of formal training and certification that is recognized by established authorities such as the state's Board of Medicine and the American Board of Medical Specialties. 92% of the board-certified plastic surgeons in the U.S. also are members of ASPS, the organization said.

How dangerous is plastic or cosmetic surgery?

While most cosmetic surgery performed correctly is safe and heals quickly, "all surgeries, including cosmetic procedures, carry risk," according to the Mayo Clinic. Even when the procedures are performed by trained surgeons, there are always chances of complications or accidents. People with obesity or diabetes may be at a higher risk for complications such as blood clots in the legs or lungs, the clinic said.

Some possible complications from any surgical procedure, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:

• Complications related to anesthesia, including pneumonia, blood clots and (rarely) death
• Infection at the incision site
• Fluid buildup under the skin
• Mild bleeding
• Abnormal scarring
• Separation of the surgical wound
• Numbness and tingling from nerve damage, which could be permanent

Does Florida have laws about cosmetic surgery?

For a long time, Florida's lax cosmetic surgery regulations made the state a destination for people seeking cheap procedures and for shady practices looking for easy money, which led to multiple injuries and deaths.

In 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the first major reform in over a decade to give the state the power to suspend a clinic's operations or revoke its registration if itdetermines the facility posesan imminent threat to the public. It also prevented anyone named in the registration from registering another surgery office for five years.

The legislation was introduced weeks after the USA TODAY investigation into the South Florida plastic surgery business, mentioned above, whose owner kept changing its name to avoid the bad publicity.However, attempts to include background checks and bans against felons owning cosmetic surgery facilities were struck down before the bill was passed.

How can I tell if my plastic or cosmetic surgeon is board-certified?

You can find accredited plastic surgeons by name or ZIP code at the ASPS' "Find a plastic surgeon near me" search tool.You also can search at the American Board of Plastic Surgery or, to get more specific, the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

For cosmetic surgery, you should look for surgeons not only board-certified in cosmetic surgery but also trained in the specific procedure you're considering. The ABCS has helpful tips on what to look for and what to ask. The organization also has a cosmetic surgeon search.