A British grandmother died while recovering from consecutive cosmetic procedures in Turkey, an inquest at Winchester Coroner's Court heard.
Caroline Baker, 47, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, traveled to Antalya, Turkey, with her daughter in July 2025 for a tummy tuck and breast augmentation surgery. She had previously undergone gastric sleeve surgery in the country.
According to Turkish authorities, Baker began to gasp for air and suffered a heart attack after the procedures, which doctors described as successful. Her daughter, Kayden, who was with her, raised concerns when the surgery, initially scheduled for around four hours, lasted longer. Doctors later informed Kayden that her mother had become ill and, despite nearly an hour of CPR, died at 7 p.m. local time.
The medical cause of death recorded by Turkish authorities was a heart attack. However, a separate post-mortem examination in the UK found no evidence of scarring to the heart or other findings consistent with a heart attack. This UK post-mortem did identify signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and fatty deposits in her lungs.
Winchester Senior Coroner Christopher Wilkinson noted that the surgery itself, involving both an abdominoplasty and breast augmentation, did not appear to have played a direct contributory part in her death. He stated that while drugs consistent with anesthesia and antidepressants were found in her system, their levels were not high enough to conclude they contributed to her death.
"It is my understanding the operation was successful. She came out of the operating theatre, and it was in recovery that she struggled breathing and had a heart attack," Wilkinson said. He added that it was "more than likely that COPD or lung infection has caused extra pressure on her heart."
Given the lack of sufficient evidence from the post-mortem and toxicology reports, and the absence of further information from Turkish authorities, Wilkinson returned an open conclusion. He stated that it was possible she died from natural causes exacerbated by the effects of the surgery.
Antalya is a popular destination for British citizens seeking cosmetic surgery, offering procedures at a lower cost than in the UK. Figures indicate that over half a million British patients sought healthcare abroad in the previous year, with Turkey being a primary destination for medical tourism.