MANILA, Philippines -- A 40-year-old businesswoman confined at St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) in Quezon City has filed a malpractice suit against the Belo Medical Group (BMG) over two butt augmentation procedures that she claimed nearly killed her and could leave her deformed for life.

?I trusted her [when she said] the procedure was safe and would give me a permanent round butt but instead, I narrowly escaped death,? Josefina Norcio said, referring to Dr. Vicki Belo, BMG medical director.

The malpractice suit against Belo was filed with the National Bureau of Investigation, Norcio said, adding that she was waiting for the results of the bureau?s investigation.

Contacted for comment, Leah Salterio, BMG media officer, said in a statement, ?We have yet to receive a formal complaint from the patient. In the meantime, however, we have begun to study the details of the treatment that was done on the patient four years ago.?

Norcio, a resident of Cubao, Quezon City, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer during an interview in her hospital room Thursday that she has been in and out of the hospital since May 10.

She added that she was under the care of several doctors -- an infectious disease specialist, cardiologist, pulmonary specialist, surgeon, nutritionist and a therapist.

According to Norcio, her problems started on May 10 when she woke up and found she couldn?t move her lower body. She also had a fever and her buttocks were inflamed and painful.

A visit to the doctor showed that her buttocks were full of pus, a condition linked to the hydrogel that had been injected into the area when she underwent butt augmentation in 2003 and 2005 at the Belo Clinic on Tomas Morato.

During subsequent visits, Norcio said her condition worsened as she experienced difficulty in breathing and her blood pressure became erratic.

Since then, she has undergone at least six operations to drain the pus and the hydrogel from her buttocks, a procedure which, according to her doctors, must be done gradually.

Just like Rosanna?s

Norcio, who owns a production company and sends entertainers abroad, said that she went to see Belo about undergoing the procedure after seeing actress Rosanna Roces? round buttocks during an awards show in 2002.

?When I consulted Vicki about my desire of having the same butt like Rosanna?s, she said it could be done and never told me of the side effects of the procedure,? she claimed.

She added that Belo herself, surrounded by other doctors, showed her what would be done to her buttocks.

?Vicki assessed me for at least five minutes and then endorsed me to a Dr. Cayetano,? Norcio said.

The two enhancement procedures, she added, cost her around P250,000.

?The first time in 2003, I was not satisfied with the result because my butt?s left cheek was bigger than the right and it looked weird,? Norcio said.

?I already lost some income and I have spent more than P3.6 million for my medical expenses and I still have yet to hear from them,? she said, referring to BMG.

She added that her fiance managed to talk with Dr. Philip Bunag, BMG assistant medical director, and his advice was for Norcio to leave the hospital, go to the Belo clinic where she would receive help.