Fatal Complications Associated With Rib Remodeling: A Multinational Patient-safety Case Series.Aesthet Surg J 2026 May 06. [Online ahead of print]AS
BACKGROUND
Rib remodeling techniques designed to reduce the waistline have gained popularity in aesthetic surgery. Among them, rib remodeling performed by punctures using a piezotome has been promoted as a minimally invasive alternative to rib contouring. Published literature describing the technique has suggested a low incidence of complications based primarily on surgeon-reported surveys.
OBJECTIVES
Report a multinational series of fatal complications associated with RibXcar technique and to analyze potential mechanisms contributing to mortality.
METHODS
A retrospective patient-safety case series was compiled from adverse event reports and medico-legal documentation identified across Latin America between 2023 and 2025. Cases were independently reviewed and validated by scientific committees from the Mexican Association of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery (AMCPER), the Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery (SCCP), and a designated expert witness involved in the medico-legal review of the Peruvian cases. Available clinical records, forensic reports, and institutional documentation were reviewed.
RESULTS
Six deaths associated with rib remodeling performed by puncture technique (RibXcar) were identified across three countries (Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico). Patients ranged from 23 to 42 years old. Procedures were commonly performed in combination with body contouring surgeries such as lipoabdominoplasty. Documented causes of death included pulmonary thromboembolism, visceral injury with peritonitis, and acute respiratory failure. Most cases occurred within 4 hours to 70 days after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
Although RibXcar technique has been described as safe in low-level literature, this multinational patient-safety report documents fatal complications associated with the procedure. Our findings raise concerns regarding the biomechanical safety of perpendicular rib puncture approach for corticotomy that rely on tactile feedback rather than direct visualization. Greater scrutiny, standardized training, and anatomical risk assessment are required before broader adoption.
