An Italian plastic surgeon was ordered to pay almost €29,000 in damages to a patient after a court ruled that he had been negligent in performing buttock augmentation surgery.

Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti delivered this judgment in a case filed by Venerie Falzon against Marcello Stella.

Ms Falzon told the court that she had consulted a local doctor to ask about buttock augmentation surgery and was referred to Dr Stella. The latter carried out the surgery on May 13, 2009, but Ms Falzon was not happy with the results. So, the surgeon carried out another operation, known as adipose tissue sculpture the following July.

According to Ms Falzon, she had developed an infection after the surgery, and Dr Stella had carried out further surgery at no cost 10 days later. After these interventions, Ms Falzon went to England for further surgery.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Chetcuti said Dr Stella had assured Ms Falzon that the surgery would be successful and that she would get a "Brazilian butt". But the court appointed medical expert found that the surgeon had been negligent.

The court awarded Ms Falzon €28,727.43 in damages.