Brazilian influencer, 45, tragically dies after receiving general anaesthetic for tattoo

Ricardo Godoi, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest under general anesthesia for a tattoo session.

A Brazilian car influencer, Ricardo Godoi, has tragically passed away at the age of 45 after suffering a cardiac arrest while under general anesthesia for a back tattoo procedure. Godoi, who amassed over 220,000 Instagram followers, had arranged to undergo the procedure at a private hospital in Itapema, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Before the scheduled tattoo session on January 20, Godoi informed his followers via Instagram that he would return to posting later that day. "I’m about to undergo a surgical procedure and will only be back here after 4pm," he wrote. Sadly, he went into cardiac arrest shortly after being sedated and intubated, according to a statement from the tattoo studio.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by RICARDO GODOI (@ricardo.godoi.oficial)

“What happened was that, at the beginning of the sedation and intubation, he went into cardiac arrest,” the studio's owner said. “That occurred before they even started tattooing him. He was quickly checked, and a cardiologist was called in to try to revive him, unfortunately without success.”

The hospital, which had hired an experienced anesthesiologist, confirmed that all necessary precautions, including pre-procedure blood tests, were taken. These tests revealed no explicit risks for the procedure, and Godoi had signed a consent form acknowledging the potential dangers.

The influencer, who was also the CEO of Godoi Premium Group, frequently shared content about luxury cars and often featured his wife, Rafaela Gastaldi, in his posts. She now mourns his loss alongside thousands of fans.

Experts warn that undergoing general anesthesia for tattoos, though increasingly popular, carries risks. “Anaesthesia is really a lot more complicated than just flipping a switch like turning off a light,” said Dr. John Baer, an anesthesiologist. While the odds of fatal complications have significantly improved—from 1 in 1,000 in the 1940s to 1 in 100,000 today—there remains an inherent risk in such procedures.