February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The office has been investigating the death of 42-year-old Kay Cregan since an initial autopsy proved inconclusive.
“She died suddenly, and the surgery was a significant contributing factor to her death,” according to a spokesperson for the examiner.
The medical examiner stated that Cregan underwent rhinoplasty,
facial cervical reconstruction, lower blephoroplasty, and upper and lower lip augmentation on March 14. New York plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Sachs performed the surgery in his Manhattan office.
Investigators said Cregan lost consciousness hours after the surgery and was taken to a hospital. There, she was eventually taken off life support. She died on St. Patrick’s Day.
The Medical Examiner’s office said there are still some questions unanswered in Cregan’s case.
“But we do know the surgery contributed to her death,” the spokesperson
added.
Following Cregan’s death, a report in the New York Daily News revealed that the New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct banned Sachs from performing certain rhinoplasty procedures last year, and that he had made 33 malpractice payments within the last decade.
Sachs has defended his actions in the Cregan case, saying he did
nothing wrong. He said he has apologized to the Cregan family.
Sachs continues to perform surgery. Neither he nor his attorney returned calls from the Irish Echo last week when asked for a response to the medical examiner’s findings.
New York authorities will now carry out a further investigation into Cregan’s death.
Additional reporting by Jill Sheehy