Archive for category surgical tourism
A Woman Warns of South American Plastic Surgery
Posted by admin in plastic surgery complications, surgical tourism on July 21, 2011
Forum Post:
WARNING SOUTH AMERICAN CLINIC BREAST IMPLANTS
Postby powderpuff » Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:17 pm
THIS IS A WARNING!! I had a breast lift and augmentation done in South America about a year and a half ago. The breasts were asymmetrical and the scars keloided. I don’t think this had anything to do with the surgeon, but the CLINIC he was working for gave him (and all their doctors) only cheap, substandard materials to work with. Permanent sutures were used and digging them out caused the keloiding. Some of the sutures were still underneath the skin when I had the breasts redone, as the clinic kept postponing the suture removal until the poor material had become embedded! About a year ago I started experiencing pain in both breasts but figured it was normal, and I have a high tolerance for pain. I just had the surgery redone by a PS here in SF
Source: messageboards.makemeheal.com/viewtopic.php?t=57402
This gal posts on a forum I have frequented in the past about her experience with cosmetic surgery in South America. Be careful.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
BTW – There are also good surgeons in South America. They don’t operate in substandard conditions in a basement for pennies though.
Originally posted 2007-09-12 09:19:00.
A Plastic Surgical Tourism Disaster
Posted by admin in plastic surgery complications, plastic surgery news, surgical tourism on April 4, 2011
Stacey Cavaliere’s story starts off pleasantly enough. After two years of diet and exercise she lost 135 pounds, and as a reward she was planning a Costa Rica vacation, where a nice relaxing trip awaited her. Or that’s what the tourist Web site promised her. It also promised that Caveliere, 35, would come back lifted, tucked and toned in places where her extreme weight loss yielded excess hanging skin. But upon returning to the U.S., Cavaliere wasn’t showing off her new body — she was rushed to the emergency room where her abdomen had to be completely reconstructed after a botched body lift. Only after eight surgeries did she end up with the body she wanted.
Source: aolhealth.com/condition-center/plastic-cosmetic-surgery/medical-tourism
The problem with trying to offer large scale surgery on the cheap is that you often are short changed on the technical and safety aspects …the stuff that really matters. Any patient can get a wound infection, but if these are detected early in good follow-up they are much less damaging. Using the proper precautions they are rare, but what if some of those precautions are skipped because they are deemed too costly? You are the one who loses here.
When your surgeon lives on another continent, it is difficult to get good follow-up care even if the surgical care was good. This woman had a catastrophe requiring eight operations by a domestic plastic surgeon for repair. In this case, cheap became really expensive.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Related:
Tameka Foster (Usher’s Wife) and Surgical Tourism
Dr D’s “Cheap Plastic Surgery”
Originally posted 2009-03-27 14:25:00.
A Mexico Plastic Surgery Story
Posted by admin in plastic surgery news, surgical tourism on January 12, 2011
Lisa, 51, a twice-divorced mother of three who did not want her last name used, enters Clinica San Antonio in Laredo Mexico June 18 2004. She was rejected for plastic surgery in Texas because of a heart condition. Lisa says she is depressed about her appearance and plans to under go an eye lift, face lift, arm lift, leg lift, tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and bladder lift — all for $8000.
Source: msnbc.msn.com/id/7222558/displaymode/1107/m/mid/framenumber/1/s/1/
Do you really want plastic surgery in Mexico? This story of a woman who went to Mexico for a cheap plastic surgery overhaul has images of a dirty operating room and ants on the sink. She set forward to do massive marathon plastic surgery after having been turned away in Texas because of a heart condition. Despite her problems with the schedule she had set for herself she is fortunate not to have been more severely injured. She apparently got infected in her tummy tuck wound and was given incorrect antibiotics by the Mexican clinician. Patients with heart conditions can be high risk for even moderate length surgical cases.
The pictures are kinda graphic. This story shows the world of the “chop shop” and illustrates exactly what you avoid by going with a reputable plastic surgeon. Safer smaller scale surgery might have been possible but at a much higher price tag in the US and over a longer time period.
If you are thinking of cheap third world plastic surgery, here is the story of a woman who did just that.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Originally posted 2006-08-31 15:55:00.
Surgical Tourism For Breast Implants – The Price You Pay
Posted by admin in breast implant pre-op tutorial, makemeheal question, surgical tourism on October 18, 2010
As some of you know I used to host a forum at MakeMeHeal upon which I addressed questions. Sometimes people need more than can be offered via the internet alone.
The Question:
Hi There,
I had my BA in Oct 2007, My left breast swelled up 2 days after surgery so I had to go back and have my implant taken out and put back in, I was not told why this was. The surgeon then checked it 3 days later and everything was fine. [Ed - This was probably a hematoma.] BUT I am now noticing that my left breast at the top seems firmer then the right – like a ridge??
It is not painful and I am not unwell from it. BUT I am concerned maybe its CC? or does it look a strange shape because my Nipples are so saggy? I am looking into a Nipple lift but am worried sick about my breasts. I had my surgery in Belgium and its proving Impossible to talk to them. My GP is now closed until Monday and A&E are unable to help me…
My Answer:
Hello,
You went out of your country to have your breasts operated. Now you ask a surgeon in a third country to help you sort out what’s going on. You need someone to examine you in order to properly address your concern.
Without seeming cruel, your case exemplifies a leading problem with surgical tourism. You had an operation by a surgeon you couldn’t have possibly been able to validate who is unavailable now that you need post-operative assistance. This is the price you pay to get it cheaper in that other country. I do hope you are able to get things properly evaluated but using the internet alone is really inadequate for you at this stage.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Originally posted 2008-06-23 07:30:00.
Reader Laura’s Comment: Surgical Tourism Story
Posted by admin in surgical tourism on September 23, 2009
Reader Laura’s Comment:
“Single mother traveled to Panama for operation to turn brown eyes blue… and was almost blinded”
Just the title of this story sounds scary to me. I’m not sure why she would risk her eyesight in this manner. I’m also not sure why the doctors went ahead with the surgery when her doctors back home told her not to have the surgery.
When a federal agency refuses to approve a procedure in the US (or in the UK in this case,) sometimes there is a very good reason. Going to unregulated countries removes this protection and exposes patients to risk. Third world countries really have little regulation of medical procedures.
People tend to think when a board certified plastic surgeon “talks down” something, the only reason is money. It isn’t.
The Bottom Line:
Research very carefully before you go to a third world country particularly to have large scale surgery, surgery not approved in your native country or surgery requiring precision and training. The reason is apparent from this case. This woman nearly lost her sight.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Australian Government Getting into Scalpel Tourism?
Posted by admin in surgical tourism on September 22, 2009
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) wants to lure what it describes as “high-spending overseas tourists” seeking medical services to Australia.
Are they going to cover the costs of travel and additional surgery for follow-up and problems? Good follow-up particularly after large scale surgery can avoid problems. These are amongst the items that people don’t tend to consider.
There is also the tendency for patients who price shop to assume that surgery is the same when you go from surgeon to surgeon. It isn’t. As usual it is “buyer beware.” Just be careful.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Related:
Surgical Tourism…a Bad Trip?
Posted by admin in surgical tourism on July 31, 2009
Sally Farmer was entranced by the slick e-brochure she received in 2005. Filled with enticing photos of Prague, it promised ‘cosmetic surgery of the highest quality, while taking in the historic, beautiful cities of the Czech Republic’.
Like thousands of women, Sally was unhappy with her face – a small bump in the bridge of her nose had bothered her since childhood.
Plastic surgical tourism is a popular alternative to the more expensive domestic option.
She booked a £2,000 package that included rhinoplasty (a nose job) and ten days at a local hotel for her recovery. In the UK, the operation would have cost about £3,000.
Price is the main allure. In this case a free vacation of sorts was added.
Yet, when the bandages came off, the bump had gone. She was thrilled. Even the fact that the tip of her nose felt soft to touch and almost hollow failed to dampen her mood.
‘Everything will settle,’ Dusan Vlcek, Sally’s Czech surgeon had said when she queried the peculiar sensation. ‘I was due to fly home that day so had to take his word for it,’ recalls Sally.
But it was to be the start of a four-year ordeal that would leave her disfigured and needing two repair procedures – as well as a sizeable bill.
When you go to the cut rate guy, there is risk. In this case, cheap got really expensive. It looks like she needed some tip work that wasn’t really done. Redos can be hard.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Related:
Tameka Foster – Usher’s Wife and her Plastic Surgery Nightmare
Posted by admin in celebrity plastic surgery, surgical tourism on February 23, 2009
Source: people.com/people/article/0,,20258871,00.html
We know that Usher’s wife (Tameka Foster) was to have an operation in South America and it was aborted due to cardiac arrest. This has been referred to as botched plastic surgery although we do not know if any plastic surgery occurred.
I serve as an expert reviewer on California’s Medical Board for plastic surgery cases. In the really rare event that cardiac arrest occurs in any elective surgery case, it is frequently an issue of hypoxia, meaning adequate oxygen wasn’t getting to the patient’s tissues. This is more likely when the center in which the procedure is being performed is not “up to snuff” on equipment and staff.
Was this the cause in Mrs Foster’s case? I don’t know. Furthermore, I do not know what the procedure is for investigating such an incident outside of the State of California. As I have said before there are risks to “Surgical Tourism.”
Hopefully Mrs Foster will recover well from this unfortunate event.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Surgical Tourism – Insurance Companies Getting Involved Too
Posted by admin in surgical tourism on July 7, 2008
Once the province of the poor and uninsured, medical tourism is gaining attention of industry giants such as CIGNA, Aetna and Blue Cross/Blue Shield, who say they either have begun or are considering pilot programs that provide limited coverage for foreign care. One Montana firm, Employee Benefit Management Services Inc., recently began offering medial tourism plans to its 120 self-insured clients in the Northwest.
Source: msnbc.msn.com/id/25415614
Surgical tourism has been an issue within Cosmetic Surgery as it is a lower cost alternative. Domestic cosmetic surgery is expensive. Your surgeon’s overhead stays high and the time to become trained is long and expensive as well. Now it looks like the insurers are getting in the “tourism game” paying for your Hip surgery in India.
This has been a worry to the cosmetic surgery mills practices, but not-so-much to others. The tummy tuck I do in my practice is pretty high end and my patients get long term follow-up as well. You aren’t going to get that in India or Mexico. Quality differentiates domestic from cheap foreign plastic surgery in many cases. And some of the outcomes considered OK in foreign countries would get you sued in the US.
This isn’t an “apples to apples” comparison.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
Argentina for surgical tourism?
Posted by admin in surgical tourism on December 15, 2007
Surgical tourism is not bad for small procedures, but if there is a problem it can be a long flight back to get care. Most domestic plastic surgeons fear liability in caring for out of country cosmetic patients. Often the patient cannot sue the foreign doctor, and actually sues the domestic doctor for helping out. No good dead goes unpunished I guess.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
-
You are currently browsing the archives for the surgical tourism category.
Dr D – Your Orange County Surgeon
PAGE STATS:
scrolling="no" frameborder="0"
style="border:none; width:300px; height:60px">
MORE ONLINE Dr D
Dr D on Instagram
