>>>
>>> WE
>>> WE ARE BACK WITH AN EXCLUSIVE REPORT.
EXCLUSIVE REPORT. WHEN IT COMES TO PLASTIC
SURGERY, MEXICO RANKS AS A
POPULAR DESTINATION.
POPULAR DESTINATION. THIS IS WORLDWIDE.
PROCEDURES ARE CHEAPER THAN
THEY ARE HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES.
STATES. >> IS THE DISCOUNTED PRICE WORTH
THE RISK?
THE RISK?
THE RISK? WE ARE JOINED IN STUDIO 12
EIGHT WITH WHAT WE ARE
UNCOVERING TONIGHT.
UNCOVERING TONIGHT. THE UNCUT.
THE UNCUT. >> Reporter: MEDICAL TOURISM.
THIS IS EXTREMELY POPULAR.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR
THOSE IN BORDERS DATES.
A TEXAS WOMAN IS ON LIFE-
SUPPORT TRYING TO MOVE TO A
HOSPITAL IN ARIZONA AFTER EIGHT
NEWS SURGERY IN MEXICO WENT
VERY WRONG.
VERY WRONG. [ MUSIC ] THIS WOMAN WAS FULL
OF LIFE.
OF LIFE.
OF LIFE. AFTER A VISIT TO A PLASTIC
SURGERY CENTER IN WISE MEXICO,
THIS IS HER NEW REALITY.
>> SHE WILL NEVER BE OUR LAURA
AGAIN.
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >>
AGAIN. >> Reporter: SHE CROSSED THE
BORDER FOR PLASTIC SURGERY ON
HER NOSE.
HER NOSE.
HER NOSE. >> THE PRICE COMPARING THOSE
PRICES TO THE ONES IN THE U.S.,
IT WAS LESS THAN ONE THIRD.
>> Reporter: THE SURGERY WENT
SOUTH BEFORE IT EVEN BEGAN.
AN EMPLOYEE AT THE CLINIC
ADMINISTERED ANESTHESIA AND IT
WENT STRAIGHT INTO THIS WOMAN'S
BRAIN.
BRAIN.
BRAIN. HER FIANCI WAS IN THE WAITING
ROOM IN THE DARK.
>> I WAS REALLY CONCERNED.
I GOT UPSET BECAUSE THEY WOULD
NOT LET ME SEE HER.
>> Reporter: THIS WOMAN HAS
BEEN IN A COMA EVER SINCE.
>> THEY SAID SHE SUFFERED
SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE.
>> Reporter: PLASTIC SURGERY
GONE WRONG IS SOMETHING THIS
DOCTOR SEEMS ALL TOO OFTEN.
>> I GET ABOUT TWO OR YOU KNOW,
FIVE PATIENTS A WEEK COME IN
AND THEY TAUGHT ME ABOUT
SURGERY.
SURGERY.
SURGERY. MOST OF THOSE PATIENTS HAVE
THEIR WORK DONE IN MEXICO.
>> THE PATIENTS GO TO MEXICO
BECAUSE IT IS LESS EXPENSIVE.
THE OFFICES ARE VERY NICE.
THAT IS WHERE IT STOPS.
>> Reporter: THIS DOCTOR SEES
MANY PLASTIC SURGERY CLINICS IN
MEXICO USING THE OPTICS TO
RECRUIT POTENTIAL PATIENTS IN
BORDER STATES LIKE ARIZONA.
OFTEN TIMES REPRESENTATIVES ARE
SENT TO PHOENIX TO ENCOURAGE
PATIENTS TO GET PROCEDURES.
THE DOCTOR KNOWS OF A SEMINAR
ONE MEXICAN CLINIC HELD NEAR
SKY HARBOR AIRPORT.
>> THIS WAS A RECRUITMENT
SEMINAR TO RECRUIT PATIENTS TO
BOOK FOR CONSULTATION.
EVEN IF THEY WANTED TO BOOK
SURGERY, THEY WERE DOING A
$1000 OF DISCOUNT.
THEY WOULD BOTH YOU AND TAKE
YOU INTO MEXICO FOR THE
SURGERY.
SURGERY.
SURGERY. >> Reporter: SOCIAL MEDIA HAS
MADE RECRUITING CUSTOMERS THAT
MUCH EASIER.
MUCH EASIER. WE DID A SIMPLE SEARCH OF
PLASTIC SURGERY ON GRAHAM, ONE
OF THE TOP THINGS THAT CAME UP
WAS A CLINIC IN TIJUANA WITH
MORE THAN 30,000 FOLLOWERS.
WE FOUND THOUSANDS OF OTHER
PLASTIC SURGERY CENTERS IN
MEXICO HAVE THEIR OWN ACCOUNTS.
THEY ARE DISPLAYING BEFORE AND
AFTER PICTURES.
AFTER PICTURES. >> THERE IS A LOT OF PHOTO
SHOPPING THAT IS GOING ON.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
BEFORE PICTURE HAS A SIMILAR
BACKGROUND TO THE AFTER.
>> Reporter: THERE ARE SOME
GOOD SURGEONS ACROSS THE
BORDER.
BORDER.
BORDER. >> UNFORTUNATELY THE ONES THAT
GET A LOT OF PATIENCE ARE THE
ONES, THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT
SUBPAR.
SUBPAR.
SUBPAR. THEY DO A LOT OF HEAVY
MARKETING.
MARKETING. >> Reporter: CHECKING
CERTIFICATION IS EASY.
GO TWO CERTIFICATION MATTERS.
ORG/FIND MY DOCTOR.
TYPE IN THE NAME, STATE, AND
SPECIALTY.
SPECIALTY. >> LOOK AT THE BOARD OF MEDICAL
EXAMINERS AND PATIENT REVIEWS.
>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS ARE
SEARCHING THE CLINIC WHERE THIS
WOMAN'S LIFE WAS CHANGED.
THE FAMILY IS HOPING TO MOVE
HER TO MAYO CLINIC IN PHOENIX.
THEY ARE LEFT WITH AN
IMPOSSIBLE DECISION, TO TAKE
HER OFF LIFE SUPPORT OR NOT.
>> WE HAVE HOPE THERE IS
SOMETHING THEY CAN DO FOR HER
IN ARIZONA.
IN ARIZONA. >> Reporter: AS THIS WOMAN
FIGHTS FOR HER LIFE, THIS
FAMILY IS UNDERGOING A LEGAL
BATTLE TRYING TO HOLD THE
MEXICAN CLINIC ACCOUNTABLE.
WE TALKED TO A HARVARD LAW
PROFESSOR WHO SPECIALIZES IN
MEDICAL TOURISM.
MEDICAL TOURISM. HE HAS ANSWERS