Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency - Plastic Surgery Statistics

Overview

According to the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency (한국의료분쟁조정중재원), analysis of 174 medical accident cases in plastic surgery that completed assessment between 2015-2019 revealed important trends.

Key Statistics

  • Total cases assessed: 174 cases (2015-2019)
  • Appropriateness of medical treatment:
    • Appropriate: 58.6% (102 cases)
    • Inappropriate: 35.1% (61 cases)
  • Consumer complaints (2011-2014): 16,354 cases related to plastic surgery submitted to Korea Consumer Agency
  • Medical dispute arbitration requests:
    • 2012: 18 cases
    • 2013: 51 cases (183% increase)

Key Issues Identified

  • 70-80% of problematic cases involve procedures performed by general practitioners, not board-certified plastic surgeons
  • Media often reports these as "plastic surgeon" accidents without distinguishing qualifications
  • No license revocation regulations for doctors who repeatedly cause patient injuries or deaths
  • Need for stronger patient protection policies

High-Risk Procedures

Based on news reports and medical dispute cases, the following procedures appear to have higher complication rates:

  • Facial contouring surgery (안면윤곽술)
  • Double jaw surgery (양악수술)
  • Liposuction (지방흡입)
  • Fat grafting/transfer (지방이식)
  • Rhinoplasty under general anesthesia

Resources for Patients

  • Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency: www.k-medi.or.kr
  • Korea Consumer Agency: www.kca.go.kr
  • Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons: www.plasticsurgery.or.kr (to verify surgeon credentials)

Important Disclaimer

These statistics are from official government sources and represent resolved disputes, not all medical incidents. Many cases are settled privately or not reported.

Sources

  • 한국의료분쟁조정중재원 (k-medi.or.kr)
  • 대한성형외과학회 publications
  • 청년의사 (docdocdoc.co.kr)