A Norfolk woman died of heart failure an hour after leaving a Turkish hospital after a breast reduction operation, an inquest heard yesterday.Lynne Foster-Banks, 62, had a history of heart problems but was advised to go ahead with the operation by doctors at the private hospital in the resort of Bodrum after the removal of a fibroid lump found in a breast.

A Norfolk woman died of heart failure an hour after leaving a Turkish hospital after a breast reduction operation, an inquest heard yesterday.

Lynne Foster-Banks, 62, had a history of heart problems but was advised to go ahead with the operation by doctors at the private hospital in the resort of Bodrum after the removal of a fibroid lump found in a breast.

Mrs Foster-Banks, of Ella Road, Thorpe Hamlet, also followed their advice to have a tummy tuck and liposuction meaning the entire procedure took seven hours, the hearing in Norwich was told.

A day after the operation she suffered heart failure due to a myocardial fibrosis and died. A post-mortem report stated that her death was due to underlying cardiac problems dating back to 1977 but that the breast reduction surgery was a “contributing factor”.

Now her daughter Justine Winter is investigating the possibility of legal action in Turkey. Mrs Winter told the hearing she felt the doctors had not taken into account the effect of such surgery on a woman of her mother's age and with her medical history.

The inquest heard Mrs Foster-Banks, a former hairdresser who went to Turkey to retire, was diagnosed with fibrous tissue in her breast on October 24, 2005.

Doctors told her that an operation to make both her breasts the same size would be better done at the same time as the removal of the lump rather than putting her through a separate procedure.

It was then suggested she underwent an abdominoplasty and liposuction at the same time and was booked in for the seven-hour procedure the next day.

Doctors were aware of her medical history but Mrs Winter said her mother was given no warnings “above and beyond” the fact that all operations carried risks.

She also said the recovery room lacked many basic facilities so Mrs Foster-Banks discharged herself early.

Mrs Winter took her mother home the day after the operation to convalesce but as soon as she had got her into the living room Mrs Foster-Banks started having problems breathing and Mrs Winter was forced to carry out emergency resuscitation. A doctor was called but Mrs Foster-Banks died at 12.15am on October 27, 2005

Greater Norfolk coroner William Armstrong recorded a narrative verdict that Mrs Foster-Banks “died of natural cases contributed to by the effects of elective surgery for breast reduction.”