Doctor Admits Operating on West's Mom
Rap Star's Mother Had Tummy Tuck, Breast Reduction Before She Died
AP
Posted: 2007-11-13 07:06:35
Filed Under: Star Obituaries, Music News
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A plastic surgeon who claimed to have operated on Kanye West's mother before she died said he did nothing wrong, and that her death could have been caused by other medical problems.
Dr. Jan Adams told celebrity Web site TMZ that he performed a tummy tuck and breast reduction on Donda West, but that she might have died from a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or massive vomiting.
Adams said West consulted with him over a period of four months, often changing her mind about the surgery, according to the article posted late Monday.
It was unclear when or where Adams performed the surgery. Attempts to leave a message at a listed office number in Beverly Hills were not successful. A call to a home listing in Laguna Beach was not answered.
The Medical Board of California Web site listed Adams' license as current.
Preliminary information suggested Donda West died from "complications of surgery," said Lt. Fred Corral, a county coroner spokesman. An autopsy was expected to be conducted by Wednesday, Corral said.
West died Saturday night at age 58 at Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Marina del Rey after she stopped breathing at her home, according to Deborah Ettinger, a hospital vice president. She was taken to the hospital by paramedics.
"We tried to resuscitate her, but were unsuccessful," Ettinger said.
West did not have surgery at the hospital, said Ettinger.
A plastic surgeon, Dr. Andre Aboolian of Beverly Hills, said Monday that West had approached him months ago about having cosmetic surgery. He said he never performed the procedure, telling her he was worried about a pre-existing condition she had.
Aboolian told West two weeks ago that she needed to get a medical clearance before he would agree to do the surgery, said his publicist, Jo-Ann Geffen. He never heard back from her, Geffen said.
Aboolian was concerned about a condition West had that may cause a heart attack during surgery, said Geffen, declining to elaborate because of patient privacy rights.
"He simply said that in order for him to be comfortable, he felt it necessary to have a medical clearance before he'd touch her," Geffen said.
Geffen said she didn't know if West had cosmetic surgery elsewhere.
"He feels terrible because he said she was such a sweet lady," Geffen said.
Adams told TMZ that Aboolian was "manipulating the truth to elevate his own importance," but didn't elaborate.
The Kanye West Foundation referred calls to publicist Maureen O'Connor, who said in a statement that plans for West's funeral were pending.
"Kanye West, his family and friends would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and kind words that have come in from across the country since the death of his mother," the statement said.
Reached by phone, O'Connor declined to provide more details on West's death, saying the statement was all that was being released.
Patricia Green, a consultant who has worked as a publicist for West in the past, had previously told news agencies that West died after cosmetic surgery. She backed away from those comments in later interviews with the AP, saying she was not sure of the cause because she had received conflicting information.
West was known for the strong bond she shared with her son, and was often by his side at parties and award shows.
The rapper, 30, often spoke of his close relationship with his mother, who raised him alone after her husband left when Kanye was 3.
The former chairwoman of Chicago State University's English department, Donda West served as chief executive of West Brands LLC, the parent company of her son's business enterprises. She also was chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation, an educational nonprofit that works to decrease dropout rates and improve literacy.
"She was a fantastic educator," said Brenda Eatman Aghahowa, the chairwoman of the English and Communications department at Chicago State University. "She was very vibrant."
West left CSU in 2004 and moved to Los Angeles to manage her son's career full time.
Aghahowa said it was evident that West and her son shared a bond.
"They seemed very caring; they laughed a lot with each other," she said. "It was clear there was a very warm relationship between them."
AP Science Writer Alicia Chang in Los Angeles and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.
