Nineteen-year-old Abigail Stevenage died after contracting an infection following liposuction surgery in Kidderminster in December.

One of Ms Stevenage's breasts was three times bigger than the other.

The inquest heard that the condition caused her acute embarrassment and her family said she had insisted on surgery.

The operation was performed by consultant surgeon Sebastian Pilz at Wordsley Hospital in Stourbridge, West Midlands.

Mr Pilz removed 300gms of tissue from the larger breast to reduce it from a size 38C to a size 38B.

Not a typical infection

He told the inquest that Ms Stevenage "needed the operation" because there was such a difference in the size of her breasts.

He had considered increasing the size of the smaller one, but said this was a more dangerous operation.

"The operation she underwent was not a serious surgical procedure, and the infection she developed was not a typical infection," he said.

"There was no redness, no pus, none of the classic visible signs of an infection."

Ms Stevenage was sent home 48 hours after her operation.

As a result of the infection contracted during surgery, her weight rose by a quarter and she developed septicaemia.

She was admitted to Kidderminster general hospital a week later, where she died of toxic shock after unsuccessful treatment with antibiotics.

Misadventure

The coroner Victor Round recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.

He said that Ms Stevenage had "obviously needed" the operation.

Speaking after the inquest, her parents said they thought the verdict was the right one.

But her father Brian said the family felt immense guilt because they had not acted earlier.

"We all wish something could have been done to save our daughter.

"But because there were no obvious signs of infection, there were no reasons for concern. It is just a tragedy."

Liposuction

Liposuction is a surgical procedure designed to remove small pockets of excess fat that cannot be shifted by diet or exercise.

It involves having a small tube called a cannula, connected to a vacuum machine, inserted into the fatty tissue through tiny incisions in the skin.

The surgeon then moves the cannula around under the skin to remove the unwanted fatty deposits.

Dr Judy Evans, a plastic surgery expert from Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, says liposuction for breast reduction is a "reasonably safe procedure as long as the proper precautions are taken".