Authorities from Allegan County informed health officials that a surgeon may have endangered patients as well as the public by performing liposuctions in a pole barn, which served as a center for cosmetic surgery. According to health officials, the county sheriff's investigators noted that the procedures were carried out in the building along 114th Avenue in Glenn.
Glenn residents declared that Dr. Bradley Bastow is the man who allegedly performed liposuction in an unlicensed facility. Bastow's name is also listed on a permit in the pole barn window.
Liposuctions Performed In Pole Barn
The website for Body Laser Sculpting lists different locations in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and South Haven. However, the main business address is at the South Haven facility, listed as the location of the pole barn. The barn's exact location is between South Haven and Saugatuck.
"At Body Laser Sculpting (BLS), your positive patient experience is our main priority. That is why we are excited to offer you a new technology that allows us to precisely remove unwanted fat from your thighs, hips, abdomen, love handles, knees, back, arms, neck and chin," noted the website.
According to BLS, Bastow performs numerous kinds of aesthetic procedures, such as breast augmentations and facelifts. The health department, however, has only expressed concern for the liposuctions so far.
Liposuction is the removal of fat deposits underneath the skin. Most often, the procedure employs a hollow stainless steel tube through a powerful vacuum.
Angelique Joynes, the Allegan County Health Officer, warned people to immediately seek medical care in the off chance that they'd had cosmetic surgery at that site, especially if they showed signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, and fever.
"If you have had surgery at this site and have any signs of infection such as fever, redness, and swelling, seek immediate medical care," she nsaid.
The health department received a police report that there's a possibility that the necessary Biohazard Standards were not followed at the location of Body Laser Sculpting. The health department confirmed that the building lacks any certificate of occupancy and that it's not listed for any business activities.
Bastow And Health Standards Violations
This is not the first time that Bastow fails to meet the national regulations concerning health standards.
Back in 2013, when he was a cardiologist at the 950 Blue Star Highway, Bastow was fined $1,000 by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for safety violations involving the use of radioactive material.
The contraventions were identified during a special inspection conducted by the NRC in 2012 when it was discovered that Bastow was using unlicensed radioactive materials for diagnostic medical tests.
"Even though these violations did not result in harm to medical staff or patients, our action underscores the expectation that NRC license holders will adhere to NRC requirements to make sure nuclear material is used safely," noted Cynthia D. Pederson, NRC Region III Administrator.
The NCR also sent a letter to Bastow in April 2013, when they raised significant concerns about the facility and suggested that the staff didn't file any complaints about the violations because they were afraid of losing their jobs.
In a response to the letter, Bastow had agreed to modify whatever is needed to meet the regulations.
