Клиника пластической хирургии Sweetgrass внезапно закрылась из-за банкротства, оставив пациентов без доопераций

Sweetgrass Plastic Surgery & Spa closes abruptly; patients looking for answers CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — A Lowcountry plastic surgery practice is closed, and patients who spent years saving for life-changing procedures are now left with unfinished care and uncertainty about exactly what comes next. “Really unfortunate situation. The times are really messy, and it’s not just Sweetgrass that’s suffering. This is just a really messy situation because it’s a medical situation and people are really affected,” Nicole Fix, a patient of Sweetgrass Plastic Surgery & Spa, said. The parent company, GVO Partners, collapsed into bankruptcy. The practice’s own website acknowledges the chaos. It reads in part: “We recognize that the abrupt closure has caused frustration and confusion, and we appreciate your patience as we address the legal matters.” “Where does my money lie for the services that I’ve paid for when the people I trusted to carry them out are not ultimately responsible for their ability to do so?” Kelley Pate, a patient of Sweetgrass Plastic Surgery & Spa, said. Pate lost 170 pounds. After years of hard work and more than a decade of saving, she finally had skin removal surgery at Sweetgrass. “The skin served me at a time when I wasn’t able to achieve some of the things that it took most of those 13 years of saving. It also took that length of time to overcome the reasons why I carried so much weight,” Pate said. She was still in aftercare when the practice went dark. “I had one additional appointment that I haven’t been able to have because the practice closed. And I did not receive the notification that went out publicly,” Pate said. Nicole Fix had three surgeries at Sweetgrass. She was near the end of her treatment plan when she found out about the closure. “Absolutely shocking because when I was there, everything was normal, everyone was happy,” Fix said. “Everybody was smiling; everybody was good. None of them knew. It was very clear.” The closure blindsided patients and staff alike. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Craig A. Blum, MD, FACS, who treated both, has been vocal about the closure. He said in a statement: “I am still reeling from the sudden and unexpected closure of Sweetgrass, and I am deeply sorry for the impact this has had on our patients and staff. I went to medical school to take care of people. Like many physicians, I relied on others to manage the business side of the practice so that I could focus on providing the best care possible. As big business plays an increasing role in medicine, it can too often create distance between physicians and the patients they are trying to serve, and unfortunately, that played a role in what happened here. My greatest concern now is my patients, particularly those whose care was interrupted. They placed their trust in me when they could have chosen any surgeon, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I am working to return to practice locally as soon as possible with a group that shares my commitment to patient care, so that I can get back to doing what I love: taking care of my patients.” For many patients, however, money paid for surgeries not yet performed is tied up in federal court. “Up a creek until it’s resolved, unfortunately for the patients, and it’s hard. It’s scary for everybody,” Fix said. Both patients say they were contacted by Blum personally, following the closure. These patients say there are real lessons to be learned in the medical community through all of this. Live 5 has reached out to GVO Partners but has not heard back. Copyright 2026 WCSC. All rights reserved.