Woman who jumped off building in Beverly Hills most likely had bad reaction to anesthesia

Dr. Korpeck before/after facelift. He's in Florida.

This story about the woman who jumped to her death following an elective surgical procedure has been haunting me. I was supposed to be a couple of blocks away when I saw Facebook lit up with the story of a woman threatening to jump. I stayed home so I wouldn't get stuck in traffic. I read some accounts by my friends of her being naked, screaming at no one, pretending to walk as if on a tight rope, a beautiful young blond woman and it made no sense.

I searched the building occupants and realized there were surgical suites and post operative care units in the building. A noted plastic surgeon was on the 10th floor and patients would stay over night after surgery. I thought that she probably had surgery and had a bad reaction to the anesthesia. As she was seen at 7:00 a.m. before the building was open there was no way she was a stranger. I still didn't understand how or why the recovery nurse and doctor could not control or sedate her. I also don't know how she would be allowed to access the roof. That door should be locked at all times. I believe there may have been some accidental negligence.

When she finally jumped it was revealed she had just had a face lift the night before by Dr. Brian Novack. She awoke from anesthesia combative, pulling at her hair, ripping off her gown and running out of the office naked. He is known as the best plastic surgeon and his surgeries can last many hours.

I just did some research and it seems post operative cognitive dysfunction is common. Generally patients who have a stressful surgery and are older are more likely to have cognitive dysfunction. It seems it takes longer for your brain to wake up than your body. They may have hallucinations and delusions for days.

Another common effect is emotional displays and outbursts. They may wake up combative, yelling, fighting, punching. Below was written by an anesthesiologist in California, Nevada.

"A rather curious and common, although less researched, side effect of anesthesia seems to be emotional displays or outbursts upon awakening. It should be stressed that in no way are these displays of emotion under voluntary control of the patient and if you have one of these extreme emotional reactions, it will not be held against you in any way. We know it's the meds.


A young man may wake up combative and in "fight" mode. Very often, their occupation or background gives clues that this may be an issue. In certain people, I have extra medication ready to calm an overly aggressive emergence from anesthesia. This combative, agitated awakening is seen more often in soldiers, marines and other military personnel, those who work in law enforcement and those who have been or are in jail or gangs. Luckily, this usually resolves in less than 5 minutes and as they wake up are able to be 'reoriented' to where they are and settle down on their own. Even when someone is very agitated, I probably give a little sedative less than 10% of the time and only if I feel the patient may hurt himself or someone else (I got thumped in the sternum pretty hard once, so have the medication ready, just in case).

Young women usually are at the other end of the spectrum. Females from about puberty on, seem more likely to wake up tearful and crying. When they are awake enough to talk, they cannot explain why they are crying and don't say they feel particularly sad most of the time. They just can't stop crying. This usually lasts less than 15 or 30 minutes."

This was a wealthy 53 year old beautiful woman who is from another country. My friends who saw her said "a beautiful young woman just jumped to her death." She probably came here to get plastic surgery without telling anyone. No one knows her name or history.

I'm not a doctor but I think it's possible she had jet lag from coming over from Europe, Australia, wherever she lives. She may have been psychologically stressed by the thought of surgery. The surgery was long. She was 53 years old and surgery is more stressful for older people. Maybe she was abused as a kid or woman which would make her more likely to wake up combative. She woke up frightened, sad and ran to the roof. They tried to talk to her for hours. She acted erratic on the roof sitting on the edge like that and walking around. Then she just dove off the building away from the blow up landing they set up for her.

If this was the case I think they need to change how they handle patients in post operative care so this does not happen again. One, roof access must be locked. Two, lock the patients door. Three, have sedatives and straps ready when they wake up in case it's needed. Four, have two nurses in case the person is violent. Five, keep people in post operative care sedated longer. Keep them in care longer. This was truly a sad and tragic death. She may have been someone's mother, sister, wife. I hope this doesn't happen again.

Dr. Brian Novack in Beverly Hills at 414 N. Camden Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 is the best plastic surgeon in the US most say. They say he has operated on Demi Moore, Jaclyn Smith and other celebrities. If those are his clients, they look fantastic.

Below are videos of people having odd after effects of anesthesia. They seem to be confused, frightened, seeing things. Thank god they have their mom, husband with them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfCyyf956Ak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPutYIUztXw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcLO3Z97TQg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgB2ziyAteI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unyD4pegsVY

Story about the woman jumping below.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2545870/Mystery-woman-jumps-death-roof-Beverly-Hills-plastic-surgery-clinic-stars-undergone-facelift-just-hours-before.html

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

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