I first want to
express my
deepest
condolences to
the West family
at a very
difficult time,"
Adams said
Tuesday in a
statement read
by Williams.
"Out of respect
for the West
family and in
the absence of
other verifiable
information, any
comment from me
without first
discussing that
information with
the family would
be
unprofessional."
Adams, 53, told celebrity Web site TMZ.com that West's death was not caused by the surgery, but could have been caused by a heart attack, a pulmonary embolism or vomiting.
Adams, 53, told celebrity Web site TMZ.com that West's death was not caused by the surgery, but could have been caused by a heart attack, a pulmonary embolism or vomiting.
West, 58, died
Saturday night
at Centinela
Freeman Regional
Medical Center
in Marina del
Rey after she
stopped
breathing.
West had cosmetic surgery Friday in Los Angeles and went home. Initial indications were that West died from surgical complications, but an official cause of death won't be made for at least another 1 1/2 months pending further tests, Chief Coroner Investigator Craig Harvey said Tuesday after an autopsy was conducted.
Adams, who is being investigated by the state medical board, has been the target of malpractice lawsuits and has paid out nearly $500,000 in civil settlements.
Some patients who sought treatment from Adams said they learned of him through TV, where he appeared as an expert guest on "Oprah," "The Other Half," CNN, "Entertainment Tonight," E!, ABC, NBC and "Extra." Adams, who had his own show on Discovery Health, also appeared in a TV advertisement for Chanel's Allure perfume, according to his Web site.
Adams also sells a line of skin care products, including a product that lightens skin, and has written two books on plastic surgery, including the 2000 title "Everything Women of Color Should Know About Plastic Surgery."
In 2001, two malpractice lawsuits against Adams ended in payouts of $217,337 and $250,000, state medical records show. Further details were not disclosed.
A woman suing Adams for medical malpractice in Orange County in 2006 alleged that she had to be hospitalized with a high fever and fluid in her left breast after botched surgery to remove excess skin and reshape her chest and abdomen. Plaintiff Jana Beighle eventually had the implants removed because of complications, said her attorney, Thomas Gourde.
West had cosmetic surgery Friday in Los Angeles and went home. Initial indications were that West died from surgical complications, but an official cause of death won't be made for at least another 1 1/2 months pending further tests, Chief Coroner Investigator Craig Harvey said Tuesday after an autopsy was conducted.
Adams, who is being investigated by the state medical board, has been the target of malpractice lawsuits and has paid out nearly $500,000 in civil settlements.
Some patients who sought treatment from Adams said they learned of him through TV, where he appeared as an expert guest on "Oprah," "The Other Half," CNN, "Entertainment Tonight," E!, ABC, NBC and "Extra." Adams, who had his own show on Discovery Health, also appeared in a TV advertisement for Chanel's Allure perfume, according to his Web site.
Adams also sells a line of skin care products, including a product that lightens skin, and has written two books on plastic surgery, including the 2000 title "Everything Women of Color Should Know About Plastic Surgery."
In 2001, two malpractice lawsuits against Adams ended in payouts of $217,337 and $250,000, state medical records show. Further details were not disclosed.
A woman suing Adams for medical malpractice in Orange County in 2006 alleged that she had to be hospitalized with a high fever and fluid in her left breast after botched surgery to remove excess skin and reshape her chest and abdomen. Plaintiff Jana Beighle eventually had the implants removed because of complications, said her attorney, Thomas Gourde.
Autopsy Scheduled
"She saw him on
Discovery
Health, so she
decided to check
them out,"
Gourde said. "He
never told her
that he'd had
these ongoing
problems."
Beighle's case, as well as two others filed in Orange County, are pending.
The Medical Board of California is also investigating whether Adams' license should be revoked or suspended after two alcohol-related arrests in the past four years, records show.
Earlier this year, David Thornton, the board's executive director, filed a complaint against Adams alleging he violated the Medical Practice Act with his arrests. A hearing is pending in the matter.
In a 2006 case, Adams was found guilty of driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or greater, the records show. He pleaded no contest in 2003 to driving under the influence. In 1994, he also pleaded no contest to another alcohol-related charge.
Adams graduated from the Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1985 and says on his Web site that he received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University.
Associated Press writers Alicia Chang and Raquel Maria Dillon contributed to this report.
Beighle's case, as well as two others filed in Orange County, are pending.
The Medical Board of California is also investigating whether Adams' license should be revoked or suspended after two alcohol-related arrests in the past four years, records show.
Earlier this year, David Thornton, the board's executive director, filed a complaint against Adams alleging he violated the Medical Practice Act with his arrests. A hearing is pending in the matter.
In a 2006 case, Adams was found guilty of driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or greater, the records show. He pleaded no contest in 2003 to driving under the influence. In 1994, he also pleaded no contest to another alcohol-related charge.
Adams graduated from the Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1985 and says on his Web site that he received an undergraduate degree from Harvard University.
Associated Press writers Alicia Chang and Raquel Maria Dillon contributed to this report.
