Selected recent press releases
- ASPS & FRENCH SOCIETY WORKING TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS ON PIP SILICONE GEL BREAST IMPLANTS
- New laws, tv ads expose white coat deception
- Editorial- Limit who can do cosmetic surgery – USATODAY
- ASPS reports cosmetic plastic surgery down in 2009, up 69% in first decade of new millenniumASPS
- THE OSCARS, PARTIES SPUR COSMETIC SURGERY QUICK FIXES WITH HOLLYWOOD'S ELITE
- CAUTION URGED AS PATIENTS SEEK DEALS ON COSMETIC SURGERY
- PLASTIC SURGEONS WARN OF MALNUTRITION IN BODY CONTOURING PATIENTS
- CONSUMERS AND PLASTIC SURGEONS SAY ECONOMY IS CUTTING INTO COSMETIC PROCEDURES
- PLASTIC SURGEONS FACE WAR INJURIES FROM IRAQ TO INNER-CITY VIOLENCE
- LIPODISSOLVE AND MESOTHERAPY
PATIENT SAFETY AND COMPLICATIONS OF COSMETIC SURGERY
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.& ALBUQUERQUE, NM, Wednesday, March 26, 2008 – The recent death of an 18-year old woman in Florida, who died following cosmetic surgery for breast enlargement, raises a a number of important issues. This death is a tragic incident, and the thoughts plastic surgeons throughout the country are with the family.
Early reports suggest the patient suffered from malignant hyperthermia. This condition, while rare, can occur with any anesthesiologist, any surgeon and in any patient without warning While these situations are rare, the decision to have a plastic surgery procedure is serious. No-risk surgery does not exist.
With the properly credentialed plastic surgeon, plastic surgery is safe, but like any surgery, there are risks. Choosing to have plastic surgery is an important decision that should be undertaken seriously. The ASPS policy on teen breast augmentation, which is consistent with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is that adolescent candidates for purely cosmetic breast augmentation should be at least 18 years old. There were 348,000 breast augmentation procedures in 2007. Of this number, 10,505 were performed on patients 18 or 19 years old.
Early reports suggest that this patient was having “corrective surgery.” Many patients who want breast augmentation have one breast that is larger than the other – sometimes a full cup size or more in difference. This condition is called breast asymmetry.
Dr. Hudson and the ASPS recommend six essential points for consumers when considering any plastic surgery procedure:
• Do your homework: Check board certification and research the procedure, the benefits and the risks. Go to www.plasticsurgery.org for the latest information on plastic surgery procedures.
• Have realistic expectations: Ask your plastic surgeon about the benefits and risks of your surgery; discuss your expectations and understand side effects and recovery time.
• Be informed: Talk to patients who have had your procedure so you know what to expect.
• Require a medical evaluation: Consult with your plastic surgeon and discuss your full medical history to determine the most appropriate treatment.
• Choose an ASPS Member Surgeon: ASPS Member Surgeons are qualified, trained and properly certified. They adhere to a strict code of ethics, receive continuous education and operate only in accredited facilities.
• Ensure safe facilities: If your surgery may take place in an outpatient surgery center, be sure it is accredited.