Beauty Doc Blog

Every year thousands of patients have outpatient plastic surgery without complications. However, with any type of surgery there are potential risks and patients should be aware to choose the best possible situation for their procedure.

The surgeon should be a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) to ensure five years of surgical training and be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). Because ASPS member surgeons only operated in accredited facilities, your facility should comfort to strict standards for safety. The surgical facility should only used licensed, skilled personnel to administer anesthesia and monitor your progress and recovery. Always make sure your surgeon has full disclosure of your complete medical history including medications or supplements you are taking. For in-depth procedures such as extensive liposuction, discuss the extra safety measures taken by the plastic surgeon to ensure patient well-being in all circumstances.

While outstanding credentials do not guarantee success, they increase its likelihood. The ABPS is the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties to certify plastic surgeons. With this certification, doctors have a minimum of five years of surgical residency training after medical school with two in plastic surgery, have passed reconstructive and cosmetic surgery examinations and can perform a variety of these procedures including facelifts, wound repair and liposuction. Patients can contact the ABPS at (215) 587-9322 or visit their website at www.abplsurg.org to verify whether a surgeon is certified.

The facility where the plastic surgery is performed should meet at least one of two criteria determined by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The outpatients facility should also be licensed by the state it is located in. To ensure accreditation, patients can contact AAAASF at 1-888-545-5222, or visit the AAAHC website at www.aaahc.org or the JCAHO website at www.jcaho.com.

Statistics regarding outpatient plastic surgery are impressive. A 1997 survey revealed that based on 400,000 operations in accredited facilities, the rate of serious complications was less a half of 1 percent. By providing a complete medical history and ensuring the surgeon and facility are accredited and safe, patients can enjoy a safer plastic surgery experience in a convenient outpatient setting.