Plastic surgeons' group head says Yik Siu-ling's case is 'an isolated incident'
Top plastic surgeon says city's doctors are of 'international standard'
The head of the plastic surgeons' professional body downplayed the damage to its reputation caused by the failed case of Manila hostage victim Yik Siu-ling, describing it as "just an unfortunate and isolated" incident.
Daniel Lee Tin-chak, president of the Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, also defended the work of Hong Kong's doctors.
"Ms Yik's case is just an unfortunate and isolated incident, so it should not be an indication that microsurgery in Hong Kong is substandard," Lee said.
The group said it would not push for an investigation into claims high-level hospital administrators interfered with Yik's recommended surgery schedule for fear of bad press coverage.
Yik survived the Manila bus siege in 2010, but was shot in the face and her jaw was shattered. The mother of one had 33 operations in Hong Kong, but due to complications with her recovery, she decided to go to Taiwan for the same surgery after receiving financial help from Filipino businessmen.
Lee said the type of surgery that Yik had, which involved transplanting bone from one of her calves, had a success rate of more than 90 per cent in Hong Kong, which was "comparable to international standards".
To date, more than 1,500 microvascular free tissue transfer operations - including 300 free fibula flap transfers - have been carried out in four public hospitals in Hong Kong, Lee said.