Many women consider having cosmetic surgery. They may go to an ENT doctor (ears, nose and throat) who offers to perform a face lift or a GYN doctor (gynecologist) who states he can do a tummy tuck.
These doctors often have a slew of diplomas on their wall and may have offices in a wealthy part of town so you, the consumer, think they are skilled to perform plastic surgery.
The problem is, while many doctors are board certified in their specialty area, they may not be certified in plastic surgery.
In fact, some doctors may have only taken a weekend’s worth of training taught by another doctor who isn’t board certified in plastic surgery either, stated Dr. Joel Aronowitz. Aronowitz is a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles who is also a clinical assistant professor at the University of Southern California to the New York Times.
The reason for the surge in plastic surgical procedures performed by non-board certified plastic surgeons is due to money, specifically, since plastic surgery is not paid for by insurance.
It is a field of essentially cash pay. Offers to perform these seemingly simple procedures at reduced cost are enticing to those who want them.
USA Today ran a series of articles reporting on lawsuits that have been made for both wrongful deaths after cosmetic procedures and for disfigurement. Wrongful deaths have occurred due to excessive amounts of lidocaine administered to a patient to control pain while doing a liposuction procedure.
Lidocaine can slow the heart and reduce blood pressure. If large amounts move out of the tissues into the blood stream many hours later, then the heart can be affected and stop beating. An inexperienced plastic surgeon may not recognize when he has used too much.
The disfigurement lawsuits ranged from significant scarring, non-healing incisions, unequal ear heights and infected breasts.
Robin Wulffson MD wrote for EmaxHealth that “fueling the problem is that currently only 21 states require the accreditation or licensing of offices where the surgeries are performed. Facilities that are accredited or licensed must have specific resuscitation equipment and medications, adhere to strict safety procedures ...”
“The states that have accreditation and/or licensing are: Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey.”
It can be tricky to figure out if a doctor is qualified to perform plastic surgery because there are various certifying groups with names that sound very official.
What you need to know:
1. Check whether your doctor is board certified to practice plastic surgery as well as other certifications. The American Board of Medical Specialties at http://www.certificationmatters.org/ will show the doctor’s credentials.
The Federation of State Medical Boards at http://www.fsmb.org/directory_smb.html/ lists where the doctor was trained, medical license date and whether there are any medical malpractice claims against him/her.
There are several organizations that certify for cosmetic surgery, but the American Board of Plastic Surgery is the official organization that board certifies doctors in plastic surgery who have completed the highest level of training at https://www.abplsurg.org/ModDefault.aspx?section=ModHome/
2. Get a second opinion so you are clear about what the options are for the procedure you desire.
3. Know what support staff will be present during the procedure.
USA today stated that “costs are reduced, in part, when patients are put under local anesthesia rather than intravenous (IV) sedation or general anesthesia. Expenses are much lower when there is no anesthesiologist, hospital or accredited surgical facility.”
Check that the office or surgicenter is accredited by American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAASSF). and/or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
4. Ask if your doctor has admitting privileges to the closest hospital and note how far it is. Without hospital privileges, he cannot be involved in your care.
5. Get several recommendations from other patients this doctor has performed the same surgery/procedure on and ask them how things went, if there were complications, how were they handled and what type of follow up care was received.
Sources:
Ear Doctors Performing Face-Lifts? It Happens By KATE MURPHY. January 30, 2012. New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/health/non-specialists-expand-into-luc...
Lack of training can be deadly in cosmetic surgery. USA Today. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/story/2011-09-13/cosmetic-sur...
States lax in regulating cosmetic surgery. USA Today. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/story/2011-12-27/state-regula...
State regulations for cosmetic surgery found lacking. EmaxHealth. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/11306/state-regulations-cosmetic-surgery-found...
One Danger of Liposuction – Death. Medicine.net. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9431
Michele is an R.N. freelance writer with a special interest in woman’s healthcare and quality of care issues. Other articles by Michele are at www.helium.com/users/487540/show_articles
Edited by Jody Smith