Q1: Where are surgeries performed?

Your operations are performed at Chandler Regional Hospital.

Q2: How do I choose a plastic surgeon?

In the United States, physicians are generally licensed as "medical practitioners" by state licensing boards. Federal laws do not govern the quality of specialty training or dictate the procedures a physician may aspire to perform. In effect, a medical school graduate can legally claim to be a specialist of his or her own choosing, with or without residency training in that specialty. As always, you should look for a plastic surgeon, who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ASPS). The ASPS has stringent prerequites to ensure that your surgeon is competent and follow the standards of care in plastic surgery. Be aware and cautious of made-up boards that appear and sound official. While these boards may sound impressive, they are not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). This may translate into a meaningless certification by such organizations.

ASPS Member Surgeons are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is the ONLY board dedicated to plastic surgery of the face and entire body and is recognized by the ABMS http://www.abms.org. Breast enhancement, body contouring, liposuction, facial contouring and nose surgery are among the most popular procedures performed by ASPS Member Surgeons. The name of your local plastic surgeon can be obtained by calling the ASPS at 847-228-9900, visit their website at http://www.plasticsurgery.org.

In summary, choosing a plastic surgeon can often be difficult and time consuming. However, choosing the right plastic surgeon can save you much aggravations and years of reconstructive surgery. Certainly, it may be acceptable to use “generic” substitutes for your grocery list. When dealing with your body, you want the most qualified plastic surgeon.

Q3: What you should know about the safety of outpatient plastic surgery?

When considering plastic surgery, it’s natural to focus more on the expected result than on the surgical process. However, to be fully informed, it’s important to learn about the safety of the procedure as well as the expected outcome. Although thousands of people have plastic surgery every year without complications, no surgical procedure is risk-free. To maximize safety, ensure that:

• Your surgeon is adequately trained and is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery;
• The facility where your surgery will be performed conforms to strict safety standards;
• Your surgeon is informed of any drugs you are taking and your full medical history, especially if you have had any circulation disorders, heart or lung ailments or problems with blood clots;
• The surgical facility will use skilled, licensed personnel to administer and monitor your anesthesia and your recovery immediately following the procedure;
• Extra safety measures are taken if you are having a more extensive liposuction procedure.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), an organization of board-certified plastic surgeons who are dedicated to the highest standards of patient care, has prepared this document to help you get the safety information you need. It contains recommendations developed by the society’s expert task forces, whose members have consulted the most recent research available. If you have questions about these guidelines or any specific concerns not covered in this document, talk with your board-certified plastic surgeon. Only ASPS members are entitled to display the logo above.

Q4: How can I determine if my plastic surgeon’s surgical facility meets acceptable safety standards?

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery have issued a statement to their members that by July 1, 2002 all plastic surgery performed under anesthesia, other than minor local anesthesia and/or minimal oral tranquilization, must be performed in a surgical facility that meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Accredited by a national or state recognized accrediting agency/organization such as the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF), Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care
  (AAAHC), or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
• Certified to participate in the Medicare program under Title XVIII
• Licensed by the state in which the facility is located

Patients should ensure that the facility is accredited or is in the process of being accredited. To find out about a facility's accreditation status, contact the AAAASF at 1-888-545-5222 or www.aaaasf.org the AAAHC at 847-853-6060 or www.aaahc.org the JCAHO at 630-792-5005 or www.jcaho.org. Plastic surgery procedures performed in accredited surgical facilities by board-certified plastic surgeons have an excellent safety record. A 1997 survey 1 based on more than 400,000 operations performed in accredited facilities found that:

• The rate of serious complications was less than half of 1 percent.
• The mortality rate was extremely low – only one in 57,000 cases.
• The overall risk of serious complications in an accredited office surgical facility is comparable with the risk in a freestanding surgical center or hospital ambulatory surgical facility.

Q5: How will I prepare for surgery?

Quit smoking, if you are a smoker. Even one cigarette a day can increase your risk for delayed wound healing and infection. If you have high blood pressure, or diabetes, make sure that your blood pressure and/or blood sugars are normalized to minimize risks following surgery. Make sure that your surgeon is aware of all medications that you are taking, including Vitamins, herbal medicines and over the counter medications. It is important to inform your surgeon of any recent ailment.

Q6: Why is it so important for my plastic surgeon to know detailed information about my personal and family health history, even if I am only having a simple cosmetic procedure?

There is always risk with any surgical procedure. However, as a patient, you can play an important role in reducing your risk by providing a full and complete health history to your surgeon.
Although rare, one of the most serious complications associated with surgery is the development of blood clots in the large veins of the abdomen and legs. This complication can lead to a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism (blocked lung artery). Therefore, it is extremely important to tell your plastic surgeon if you or any of your family members have a history of blood clots or if you have had a family member who died suddenly, shortly after surgery or childbirth.

You will also be evaluated for other factors that may increase the risk of blood clots. These include:

• being extremely overweight
• having recent traumatic injury
• any disorder of the heart, lungs or central nervous system
• a history of cancer, recurrent severe infection or genetic problems that affect blood clotting

For women, additional risk factors include:

• taking oral contraceptives or having recently ceased taking them
• undergoing hormone-replacement therapy

Safety measures to prevent blood clots will be determined by your individual degree of risk. If you are considered low risk, your doctor may simply ensure that you are positioned on the operating table in a way that allows for adequate blood circulation to the legs. If you are of moderate or high risk for developing blood clots, you may also be advised to wear elastic stockings before, during and after your procedure, or to take special anti-clotting medications. Compression devices on the legs may be used during surgery to support your normal circulation.

Q7: Will I be able to tolerate the pain post-operatively?

Each patient will tolerate pain post-operatively in a different way, and we consider this. While some patients may describe the pain as an ache, others experience greater discomfort. Appropriate pain medications are prescribed for the post-operative patients, and these help minimize discomfort. Most facial cosmetic operations have minimal discomfort post- operatively. Liposuction is slightly more uncomfortable, and operations that require elevation or tightening of the muscles-such as an abdominoplasty or breast augmentation have discomfort equal to that of a C-section.

Q8: How long is the recuperative period and when can I return to work?

The length of time it takes to recuperate after plastic surgery varies depending on the procedure performed and the person operated on. Most patients will require assistance for the first two days. Then most patients are able to care for themselves, but may still need assistance if they have small children to care for. The specific lengths of disability are outlined below by procedure. These are approximations, and do not include return to exercise.

Eyelid Surgery - Usually can get around independently by the second day. With the use of sunglasses, may feel comfortable going to the store by day 3-4, and with makeup could return to work by 5-7 days.

Facelift Surgery - Usually can get around independently by the second day. Usually do not feel comfortable going out in public for 5-7 days. Requires 10-14 days before returning to work if in the public eye.

Breast Surgery - Usually can get around independently by the second day. May return to work at 5-7 days if not required to lift more than 15 pounds.

Liposuction - Usually can get around independently by the second day, earlier if smaller number of areas treated. One can return to work and normal activities in 5-7 days.

Abdominoplasty - Patients may take between 2-4 days before getting around independently. The recovery is almost identical to C-section. One can return to a desk job at 5-7 days, other jobs 10-14 days.

Q9: When can I resume regular exercise?

The time a patient resumes regular exercises varies based on the operation performed. All patients are encouraged to start a slow walking routine on the second postoperative day. Regular aerobic and more vigorous activities are not allowed during the first 2 weeks in order to decrease the risks of bleeding, swelling, and bruising. Weight lifting and contact sports are allowed at 1 month in most cases.