Timing is Everything - Better Safe Than Sorry

Many patients desire multiple procedures to be done on one surgery date.  This approach has the obvious advantage of accomplishing multiple cosmetic goals with one period of post-operative recuperation.  Also, most offices offer a discount on these "add-on" multiple procedures.

However, both patients and their surgeons must exercise prudence when it comes to doing multiple procedures on one day.  The longer the duration of an operation, the greater chance there is of potentially serious or life-threatening complications such as deep venous thrombosis (DVT) which can lead to pulmonary embolus (PE).  There also may be a slightly greater risk of infection when the surgery involves multiple surgical areas.

In my practice, I prefer to focus on the combination of procedures that can be done in a reasonable amount of time with great attention to detail and a focus on patient safety, rather than trying to "hit for the cycle" and rush though multiple procedures on different areas of the body.  I believe this leads to better and safer results.

It is common to do multiple procedures at the same sitting, however one cannot be cavalier about it. Some factors to take into consideration are total expected blood loss,  total surface area of surgical fields, total length of surgery and anesthesia time, surgeon fatigue (both mental and physical), expected recovery process not interfering  with or compounding each procedure (such as positioning issues, ambulation, or pain with concommitant increase in pain medication requirements), technical aspects of the procedures so blood supply or tension issues do not increase risk of procedure, increased risks of deep veinthrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonia. With breast reduction and tummy tucks, it is possible to do both but attention much be paid to technical aspects so undermining and incisions do not compromise blood flow to certain flaps and that landmarks, such as the inframammary fold, do not get distorted or moved significantly that may affect the cosmetic result. Plan all these procedures carefully with your surgeon and discuss each risk and advantages and disadvantages of combining or separating these procedures. As an original member of the Extreme Makeover show, I routinely performed multiple procedures safely with careful and judious planning. Your board-certified plastic surgeon should be able to guide you as well.

Good luck!

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Many of my patients choose to have two or three procedures done at the same time.  Just make sure that you are having surgery done by a "Board Certified Plastic Surgeon" or Facial Plastic Surgeon.  That way you know that your safety will be their number one concern.   Do your research and ask many questions.  If you can ask the Doctors office for referrals from other patients that have had the procedures you are  thinking about.