An Australian woman is fighting for her life in a Vietnamese intensive care unit after developing severe complications following a routine cosmetic procedure in Da Nang.
Chloe Mowday, who was holidaying with her family, reportedly suffered multi-organ failure attributed to a suspected bacterial infection, prompting local authorities to launch an investigation into the clinic involved.
Timeline of the Deterioration
Mowday had travelled to Vietnam with her husband, Josh, and their youngest son, Elijah, with plans to visit theme parks in Hong Kong and Singapore following the surgery. She was admitted to a clinic in Da Nang to undergo rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty—procedures to reshape the nose and eyelids, respectively.
Mowday suddenly fell ill the next morning and was rushed to the nearest hospital. Her husband called her brother, Rod, who flew to Vietnam with his 16-year-old daughter to see her.
'I was absolutely mortified when he told me what had happened,' said Rod. 'I went straight to Vietnam to see her. The doctors said she is very strong but when I asked if she is going to make it, they couldn't give me a straightforward answer, obviously for legal reasons.'
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Medical Analysis: Toxic Shock Syndrome
According to her brother Rod, she suffered a rare case of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) caused by a bacterial infection.
TSS is a life-threatening complication stemming from certain bacterial infections. Typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus or group A Streptococcus, it is commonly associated with tampon use. However, an individual can suffer from TSS after an operation if bacteria enter the bloodstream or deep tissue.
'She stayed at a clinic in Da Nang overnight and the following morning they took her back to her hotel,' Rod told the media. 'A few hours later, she started to deteriorate. She started to feel strange and had a bit of pain in other areas besides the surgery site, and took the prescribed medication from the doctors, then laid down to rest.'
'A few hours later when Josh came to check on her, she wasn't responding well – then she stopped breathing and I believe in those few hours, her organs had started shutting down quickly,' Rod added. 'She's on dialysis, had to have a blood transfusion and is on certain drugs to bring her blood pressure back to normal. It got so low, her feet and fingers turned black.'
Mowday's Current Condition
Mowday is currently still in the ICU in Da Nang, Rod shared that he was able to visit her for 15 minutes a day during his five-day stay in the country.
'They slowly removed the drugs but she was on but her body was still unable to handle it and the following day they had put her back into an induced coma,' said Rod, who added that 'her eyes are open but she still can't respond and remains on life support.'
According to Rod, the doctors have warned that if Mowday continues to stay in the hospital, 'there is a heightened risk of infection that may hinder her progress.' Rod said that they have tried to bring Mowday back home to Australia.
Mowday's family is hoping to receive the all-clear to fly back in the coming month. They have also started a GoFundMe to help. The family have also reached out to the Australian Embassy in Vietnam to assist in transfers.
'We are proud people and didn't want to have to ask for help,' said Rod. However, due to the increasing medical bills, which includes an estimated $228,000 Medevac cost (estimated £171,085), the family has had to reach out for help. Over $15,000 (£11,256) has been raised so far.
'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian in Vietnam. Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment,' said a spokesperson for the department.
