A 47 year old Ohio mother of three, Rachel Tussey, died after complications following a tummy tuck surgery she documented on TikTok.
She became unresponsive in the recovery room after the procedure and required cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Doctors informed the family that her brain had been without oxygen for more than six minutes, leading to severe brain injury.
Abdominoplasty, commonly called a tummy tuck, is widely performed but carries risks including infection, blood clots, and anesthesia complications.
A 47 year old mother of three from Ohio died after complications following a cosmetic surgery procedure that she had documented on TikTok.
Rachel Tussey, a mother of three and TikTok creator with more than 25,000 followers, underwent an abdominoplasty, commonly known as a tummy tuck, on February 25, 2026. She had been documenting her cosmetic surgery journey on TikTok, where she shared videos about preparing for the procedure and her expectations about the results.
In a video posted before the operation, Tussey told followers that she had waited a long time to undergo the surgery and asked viewers to keep her in their prayers.
According to her husband Jeremy Tussey, the surgical procedure was initially reported as successful. However, her condition deteriorated during recovery.
He said medical staff called him into the recovery area around 5:30 p.m. on the day of the procedure. He said his wife was speaking with him and appeared responsive at that time. Shortly afterward, he reported that she received pain medication and then became unresponsive.
Medical staff began cardiopulmonary resuscitation when she stopped responding. Emergency services transported her to TriHealth Bethesda North Hospital in Montgomery, Ohio. The exact cause of the medical emergency has not been publicly confirmed.
Doctors placed Tussey on life support following the incident. According to her husband, doctors informed the family that her brain had been without oxygen for more than six minutes, resulting in severe brain injury.
Physicians subsequently declared her brain dead.
Tussey remained on life support for several days. Reports indicate she was later transferred to hospice care while her family considered the next steps.
On March 5, her husband decided to withdraw life support.
Jeremy Tussey has stated publicly that the family wants to understand what happened during the postoperative period. The family has obtained legal counsel but has not filed a lawsuit as of the time of reporting.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to help support the family and cover expenses following her death. Tussey is survived by her husband and their three children.
Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure designed to remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal area and tighten weakened or separated abdominal muscles. The procedure is commonly performed after pregnancy or significant weight loss to improve abdominal contour.¹
Medical literature reports that abdominoplasty carries risks similar to other major surgical procedures. Clinical studies have documented complications such as bleeding, infection, fluid accumulation known as seroma, wound healing problems, and reactions related to anesthesia.²
Other reported complications include blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, which are uncommon but potentially serious postoperative events.³ In rare cases, severe complications following cosmetic surgery procedures can lead to life threatening outcomes.⁴
The exact cause of Tussey’s postoperative medical emergency has not been publicly confirmed, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under review.
References:
Sozer, S. O., J. Agullo, and H. Palladino. “Abdominoplasty and Its Complications: A Comprehensive Review.” Plastic Surgery International 2017 (2017). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5621815/
van Uchelen, J. H., M. M. Werker, and P. J. Kon. “Complications of Abdominoplasty in 86 Patients.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 107, no. 7 (2001): 1869–1873. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11391211/
Momeni, A., M. Heier, and S. Bannasch. “Complications in Abdominoplasty: A Risk Factor Analysis.” Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery 62, no. 10 (2009): 1250–1254. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18692451/
Bucknor, Alexander, et al. “National Mortality Rates after Outpatient Cosmetic Surgery and Low-Risk Procedures.” Aesthetic Surgery Journal 38, no. 3 (2018): 337–343. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29649062/
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