Celebrity cosmetic surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer has claimed he's the victim of a 'plastic surgery turf war' after shocking allegations about his practice aired on Four Corners.
The program showed videos and spoke to experts about the manner in which cosmetic procedures are conducted at Lanzer's clinics.
One video showed surgeons at one of Lanzer's clinics dancing, singing and laughing as they thrust long metal cannulas in and out of an unconscious man during a liposuction.
In an Instagram story posted Tuesday night, Dr Daniel Lanzer described himself as the 'victim' of a 'terrible turf war'. 'The normal Dr Lanzer would love the opportunity to defend my position in the media as I know the truth and there is nothing to hide'
In social media posts on Tuesday Dr Lanzer blamed a longstanding surgery 'turf war' for the Four Corners story about his clinics.
'There's a group of three plastic surgeons who have got together to try and defame me.'
Dr Lanzer said he would reveal 'the truth' about the surgeons involved in the turf war.
But in another statement last night, Dr Lanzer said he would not come forward with the promised information despite describing himself as the 'victim' of the 'terrible turf war'.
'The normal Dr Lanzer would love the opportunity to defend my position in the media as I know the truth and there is nothing to hide,' he said in the video.
'However I have made a decision I am not going to respond to any of the ex-staffers' claims nor am I going to come forward with information relevant to the turf war which prompted the surgeons to criticise me.'
Instead, Dr Lanzer said he would launch an independent assessment of the allegations and practices at his clinics 'to ensure they maintain highest standards of care that have been a hallmark of my 30-year career'.
No detail was provided on who would conduct the assessment. Daily Mail Australia approached Dr Lanzer for comment on this question.
One of the most shocking scenes in the Four Corners investigation showed two surgeons thrusting cannulas in and out of an unconscious male patient during a liposuction procedure, while dancing to Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'
A Four Corners episode on Monday examined some of the practices and procedures of high-profile cosmetic surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer
He also said he had been 'set up' by the former employees who spoke to the program.
'Many issues were raised on the our Corners program in an unfair manner, with disgruntled ex-staffers who set me up while they were employed by me and made demands for money before they appeared,' he said.
Dr Lanzer, a dermatologist and father of 10 who regularly appears on commercial TV to discuss cosmetic surgery, has built an audience of more than five million followers on TikTok and 300,000 on Instagram.
In a 2018 profile, he was estimated to be worth more than $20million.
One of the most shocking scenes in the Four Corners investigation with the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age showed two surgeons thrusting cannulas in and out of an unconscious male patient during a liposuction procedure, while dancing to Dolly Parton's 'Jolene'.
Another attendant dances next to the operating table while the woman filming the scene laughs hysterically.
The producers asked Dr Mark Ashton, Clinical Professor of Surgery at University of Melbourne and former president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, to comment on the video,
'These two - I'm not even going to call them surgeons - these two gentlemen, are not even watching where the tip of the cannula is going,' he observed.
'It is dangerous, disrespectful. It is bewildering,
'If this was not true you'd think, ok, this can't be Australia. If you didn't show me these people, you'd think, oh, this can't be happening in Australia and here it is, you're showing me.
'Where have we gone so wrong in Australia that these two individuals think this is acceptable, think this is reasonable, think that this is fair game.'
The program said Dr Lanzer had reprimanded the staff members involved in the incident.
One video posted to social media showed Dr Lanzer talking to the camera while he moves a large cannula in and out of a patient. 'This is incredibly dangerous,' plastic surgeon Dr Mark Ashton said after viewing the video
Another video Dr Lanzer posted to social media shows him talking to the camera
