Türkiye launches investigation into death of Brazilian influencer during cosmetic procedure

Turkish authorities have announced the opening of an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of a Brazilian influencer during a liposuction procedure last week in Istanbul.

“A judicial investigation has been launched into the incident. The exact cause of death will be determined after the autopsy,” Abdullah Emre Güner, Istanbul’s provincial health director, told X.

He said artist Ana Bárbara Buhr Buldrini (“Ana B”), known for her social media posts, died on Sunday at a private clinic in Istanbul “as a result of serious complications that arose during the awakening phase” after anesthesia.

Her husband, Mozambican artist Elgar Sueia, known by his stage name DeHermes, told Turkish channel Ekol TV that the operation was brought forward despite his 31-year-old wife having eaten and consumed alcohol shortly beforehand.

“The doctors knew this,” he said, telling a Mozambican media outlet that they “clearly indicated this on several occasions.”

In a statement, the clinic said the death was caused by cardiac arrhythmia during the patient's awakening, without responding to the husband's accusations.

According to the Turkish press, the aesthetic procedure, which consisted of sucking out part of the patient's fat mass, was part of a partnership between the clinic and the influencer who has 796,000 followers on Instagram, where she appears under the name “anabmusic”.

As compensation for the free operation, Buldrini was responsible for promoting the aesthetic clinic, the press reported.

In recent years, Turkey has become a major destination for healthcare and cosmetic surgery, often offering prices well below those in Western countries.

Last year, British authorities said 28 of their citizens had died in Türkiye since 2019 due to “voluntary medical procedures”.

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