Cosmetic Surgery 'Killed' Footballer's Wife - Sky News

4:32pm UK, Monday March 07, 2011

Tessa Chapman, North of England correspondent

The wife of footballer Colin Hendry died after a seven-year battle to recover from a botched cosmetic surgery procedure, an inquest has heard.

Colin Hendry's wife Denise suffered health problems for seven years after liposuction

Denise Hendry's bowel and colon were perforated nine times during the "routine" liposuction surgery at a private Lancashire clinic in April 2002.

The mother-of-four spent three months in hospital after initially being given a 10% chance of survival.

Mrs Hendry went on to have two more major operations to try to correct the damage caused, but died from a post-operative infection in July 2009.

Giving evidence at the inquest into his wife's death, Mr Hendry said: "She was beautiful inside and out. She enjoyed life to the full."

He added: "There are too many adjectives to describe how she coped with everything."

Mr Hendry told the inquest his wife was transferred to an NHS hospital where doctors who examined her injuries were "extremely disgusted".

Without the initial surgery Denise Hendry would still be alive and well.

Dr Peter Bunting

One doctor went to report Dr Aniansson, the surgeon who had performed the liposuction, to the General Medical Council, only to discover he had already taken himself off the register.

In a written statement Mr Aniansson said at the time he had been satisfied the operation had gone "uneventfully".

He added he had no reason to be "unduly concerned about Mrs Hendry's condition".

The NHS doctor who treated her in intensive care said he was convinced the liposuction was the beginning of the chain of events that led to her death.

Dr Peter Bunting said: "Without the initial surgery Denise Hendry would still be alive and well."

The inquest is scheduled to last for two days.