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Is 50 Procedures Enough Experience for a Doctor to Perform Lipo?

asked 1 year ago by Odessa239
Latest answer by Ronald Shelton, MD
Question viewed 284 times
Tags: credentials, expertise, qualifications, surgeon

14 answers to Is 50 Procedures Enough Experience for a Doctor to Perform Lipo?

50 Lipos may be enough experience if done with the new techniques and good results.

If the 50 procedures were done for the most part under local (NOT GENERAL Anesthesia) with good results and happy patients then that may be sufficient experience but there are so many other factors to consider such as board certification in Dermatology or one of the other specialties who dab in liposuction such as plastic surgery, general surgery, ob/gyn etc... Also you need good repoire with your doc since he is the one who will help you through all... more

David Hansen, MD
Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

www.DrDavidHansen.com

How many cases of liposuction make a good liposuction surgeon?

Even with doing more than 50 cases, a doctor may not become a good liposuction surgeon if they haven't studied the procedure well enough and understand the risks and interactions of medicines that are being taken by the patient for other conditions. Some physicians have more training in the procedure than others. Some surgeons may be less conservative, and others may just have better dexterity and an artfistic sense. The experience from a certain number of cases is just part of the... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Is 50 procedure enough experience?

There is no absolute number of procedures after which one can be certain that their doctor is proficient with a procedure. Look for board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Do you know any family or friends that have had a good experience with a plastic surgeon?

Sanjiv Kayastha, MD
Albany Plastic Surgeon

www.kplasticsurgery.com

Liposuction, experience

Absolute number of surgeries done is less important that the quality of the surgery. A vast experience with a surgery means little if all the experience is bad. Proper training in an accredited training program rather than a weekend course is helpful... Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery at least indicates that the practitioner has completed Plastic Surgery training. Not all board certified Plastic Surgeons are good just like all non Plastic Surgeons who do cosmetic work... more

Carl Price, MD
Springfield Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction experience

YES, 50 IS ENOUGH CASES, but more important, in my opinion, is certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and be sure you like the results you see in the surgeons' "before and after" pictures, even if there are only five or ten.

Steve Laverson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction experience

Good question. Liposuction is surgery, regardless of how it is marketed by non-surgeons. The incisions may be really small but the underlying wound can be very, very large. There can be a lot of fluid shifts and sometimes significant blood loss. Also, there are internal organs and other critical stuctures under that fat layer and the doctor holding the liposuction cannula (regardless of the various bells and whistles the cannula may have) needs to be familiar... more

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Other points on picking a liposuction surgeon.

Tips on picking a Plastic Surgeon for liposuction or other cosmetic procedure. With the right surgeon, 50 cases is enough. 1) Is the surgeon a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery? Members usually do a lot of cosmetic surgery. 2) Did you sense a commitment to excellence in the office. Did the surgeon spend a lot of time with you? Someone who rushes through the consultation may rush through the surgery. 3) Were you treated as an individual? Did the surgeon... more

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Procedure number and quality

Certainly expereicne helps, but the specific number does not determine that just because you have done thousands that you are better than someone who has done 100' or even 50.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

50 procedures performed badly--is that enough?

Of course you know that with proper training and surgical residency and fellowship experience comes a certain degree of expertise that a skilled surgeon applies to even his or her very first procedure. Likewise, a doctor who has little or no surgical training beyond time with another non-surgeon or weekend courses can build a facility, perform surgery in an office (legally, but maybe not ethically), and do hundreds of cases without ever knowing what he or she doesn't really know... more

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

50 Procedures

For some Doctors 500 would not be enough. There is a lot that goes into becoming a good surgeon and your chances for having a good result go up when you have an experienced ,well trained Plastic Surgeon. There are many non Plastic Surgeons that are doing cosmetic procedures in the office , some may do I decent job but many do not. I have seen some of there afters that are more like my befores. When you say 50 procedures are you meaning 50 per year or 50 since going into practice?... more

Walter D. Gracia, MD
Arlington Plastic Surgeon

It is more than the number of cases that determines the proficiency of your surgeon

The other plastic surgeons provided excellent answers to your question. There is no magic number for proficiency with a procedure though 50 is definitely a substantial amount. There are many factors that are necessary in order to provide you with the maximal opportunity to obtain a desirable result as specifically relates to your plastic surgeon. A well rounded training, extensive experiences, good patient repoire, appropriate postoperative care, etc. as just some of the important factors... more

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

Its not Just the numbers

Although numbers matter, it is the quality of work that is most important. For a cosmetic procedure, you need to see the before and after pictures and you may have to talk to other patients. If you feel comfortable with the work then go for the surgery. I agree with all the above comments specifically with regard to problem solving in case of a complication.

Moneer Jaibaji, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

No magic number of cases to guarantee good result

Your question is a very good one, as it applies not only to liposuction but to surgery in general. The best way to think of it is that plastic surgery isn't simply a menu list of operations to master, but a comprehensive training in surgical techniques, creative problem solving, and management of potential complications. Liposuction is surgery, and the variety of new technologies such as laser add to the risk and complexity but it is often marketed with the opposite messsage. A plastic... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

How Many Is Enough? Liposuction

There is no set number of cases that make a surgeon proficient. Many factors including training, amount of time it took to do 50 surgeries and the end results that the surgeon should be able to show you. That being said 50 should be enough procedures for your surgeon to be proficent. Good luck.