The tragic death of Donda West, mother of hip-hop singing star Kanye West, has vaulted the issue of plastic surgery safety to the forefront of the news.

West died while under the care of Dr. Jan Adams who was performing both a tummy tuck and breast reduction procedure in a strip-mall storefront in Los Angeles on November 9. West died suddenly the following day.

Adams, who has twice been arrested for drunk driving and sued ten times for malpractice may lose his medical license as a result of West's death. The doctor was already under investigation by the Medical Board of California when he performed the dual procedures on West. No news of pending civil action on the part of West's family has been released at this time.

Fatalities resulting from cosmetic procedures are rare, with one death per every 51,459 cases. These instances and those of operations with bungled results are too often due in part to inadequate research into a doctor's past including incidents of malpractice litigation.

Adams walked off the air after agreeing to be interviewed by CNN talk show host Larry King. Citing his "love and respect for the West Family," Adams said he would not comment on the procedure without the family's approval. "When they're comfortable, then I'll be comfortable. If they're never comfortable, then I'll never be comfortable," said the doctor as he exited the set.

Medical experts caution all potential candidates for cosmetic procedures to realize that they are undergoing a medical operation with all the attendant risks. Prospective patients should never opt to work with a doctor based solely on advertisements or recommendations from friends. Thorough research into a doctor's qualifications and past is equally if not more important than deciding what to have nipped or tucked. Tragic consequences, like those in the West case, can result from hasty and uninformed choices.