Orange County Register

COSMETIC MEDICINE

Does Donda West’s death make you more wary of plastic surgery? Take this SURVEY.

The mother of 30-year-old hip-hop star Kanye West died over the weekend from what officials are now calling complications after cosmetic surgery.

Dr. Jan Adams told celebrity Web site TMZ that he performed a tummy tuck and breast reduction on Donda West, but that she might have died from a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or massive vomiting, according to an Associated Press report.

Adams said West consulted with him over a period of four months, often changing her mind about the surgery, according to the article posted late Monday.

Does Donda West’s death make you more wary of plastic surgery? Take this SURVEY.

The full Associated Press article is below:

Kayne West admired his mother for helping raise him on her own telling her in the 2005 track “Hey Mama” that he wanted to “scream so loud for you, cuz I’m so proud of you.”

The 30-year-old hip-hop star is now left with questions after Donda West died over the weekend from what officials are calling surgical complications. An autopsy was expected to be conducted by Wednesday.

West, 58, died Saturday at Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Marina del Rey after she stopped breathing at her home, according to Deborah Ettinger, a hospital vice president. She was taken to the hospital by paramedics.

“We tried to resuscitate her, but were unsuccessful,” said Ettinger, who added West did not have surgery at the hospital.

Dr. Jan Adams told celebrity Web site TMZ that he performed a tummy tuck and breast reduction on West, but that she might have died from a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or massive vomiting.

Adams said West consulted with him over a period of four months, often changing her mind about the surgery, according to the article posted late Monday.

It was unclear when or where Adams performed the surgery. Attempts to leave a message at a listed office number in Beverly Hills were not successful. A call to a home listing in Laguna Beach was not answered.

The Medical Board of California listed Adams’ license as current and it has one pending complaint against him.

The agency is investigating whether his license should be revoked or suspended because documents, first reported by the Web site CelebTV.com, show Adams has been arrested twice in the past four years for alcohol-related offenses.

In last year’s case, Adams was found guilty of driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or greater, while in the 2003 case he pleaded no contest to driving under the influence, according to the documents.

Another plastic surgeon, Dr. Andre Aboolian of Beverly Hills, said Monday that West had approached him months ago about having cosmetic surgery. He said he never performed the procedure, telling her he was worried about a pre-existing condition she had.

Aboolian told West two weeks ago that she needed to get a medical clearance before he would agree to do the surgery, said his publicist, Jo-Ann Geffen. He never heard back from her, Geffen said.

Aboolian was concerned about a condition West had that may cause a heart attack during surgery, said Geffen, declining to elaborate because of patient privacy rights.

“He simply said that in order for him to be comfortable, he felt it necessary to have a medical clearance before he’d touch her,” Geffen said.

West was known for the strong bond she shared with her son, by whose side she was often seen at parties and award shows.

Her 30-year-old hip-hop star son often spoke of his close relationship with his mother, who raised him alone after her husband left when Kanye was 3.

“Kanye West, his family and friends would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and kind words that have come in from across the country since the death of his mother,” said a statement released by The Kanye West Foundation.

The former chairwoman of Chicago State University’s English department, Donda West served as chief executive of West Brands LLC, the parent company of her son’s business enterprises. She also was chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation, an educational nonprofit that works to decrease dropout rates and improve literacy.

West left CSU in 2004 and moved to Los Angeles to manage her son’s career full time. People who knew mother and son said the pair were close.

“They seemed very caring; they laughed a lot with each other,” said Brenda Eatman Aghahowa, the chairwoman of the English and Communications department at Chicago State University. “It was clear there was a very warm relationship between them.”

Plans for West’s funeral are pending.

AP Science Writer Alicia Chang in Los Angeles and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to that report.

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