Importance of ICUs in Plastic Surgery?
asked 2 years ago by Tammi79 in AZ
Latest answer by Michael A. Jazayeri, MD
Question viewed 428 times
Tags: breasts, female, clinic, hospital, safety
I am considering getting Breast Implants at a clinic in Mexico and the hospital said that it can be very dangerous to have surgery there, as there is no ICU. Is there an ICU at all plastic surgery offices in the US, or is it just hospitals?
14 answers to Importance of ICUs in Plastic Surgery?
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Cosmetic Surgery Tourism - A Fiesta and Breast Augmentation in Mexico
In the right hands a Breast Augmentation is extremely safe and I would NOT worry about finding an ICU in a Mexican facility.
I would worry about WHO would take care of any complications you may have there. Even the best of surgeons have complications. Should you have such complications, for medical reasons, you would have a very hard time finding an American Plastic Surgeon who may want to take up your care.
Dr. P. Aldea
+2
Medical Tourism for plastic surgery: Inexpensive or cheap cosmetic surgery in foreign lands
ICU's are typically limited to hospitals. Generally this has little relation to an operating room.
The likelihood that you will have a morbid or near-morbid (fatal) event is low and therefore the concerns about an ICU are generally not warranted.
However, the possiblity that you will have a non-life threatening problem such as a wound infection, capsular contracture, implant deflation, breast implant asymmetry are more likely. Who will you go to answer or treat your questions? Will you go...
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Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2
Considerations for plastic surgery tourism
The compelling savings in cost have driven many to consider going out of the country for surgery. There are some excellent plastic surgeons around the world, and one way to check your potential surgeon out is to see if he or she is a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, www.isaps.org. They also have an accreditation process for the surgical facility. The issue isn't so much whether there is an ICU available, but how post-op care will be managed especially if...
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+2
ICU's have no role in cosmetic plastic surgery
Sometimes, an ICU stay is needed to monitor a microsurgical operation done in the reconstructive side of plastic surgery. There should be no role for an ICU in cosmetic plastic surgery. That said, where ever you have surgery, the facilities of a complete hospital should be available in case of any emergency. Traveling out of the country for plastic surgery is a bad idea for all of the reasons that have been explained in many answers on this forum previously.
+1
Be aware for pitfalls for out of country surgery
An ICU (intensive care unit) is used to take care of very sick patients. I do not see the need to have an ICU available for any elective plastic surgery, unless they are planning to make you very sick after your surgery!
Having surgery out of country has potential pitfalls, and you should research the surgeon carefully. Most likely, by the time you consider cost of travel, food, accommodations, etc. the cost is close or higher than here. This is, of course, assuming the surgery is...
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Michael A. Jazayeri, MD
Santa Ana Plastic Surgeon
Santa Ana Plastic Surgeon
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Intensive Care Unit and Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery is, for the most part, performed on healthy patients. All patients should be at their optimum health and any medical conditions should be well controlled.
The only issue concerns a pulmonary embolism. This is when a blood clot from a deep vein of the leg travels to the lungs. The consequences can be mild to catastrophic. However, with the appropriate precautions such a leg squeezers called venodynes applied before surgery and early mobilization after surgery this can be...
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Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon
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No need for ICU with breast augmentation
Intensive Care Units (ICU) is not an issue for the breast augmentation. If you know of plastic surgeon outside U.S and you feel comfortble with his before and after surery care, then it is OK to travel overseas for surgery.
The main concern is the after care if there is complication. The medical and lgal systems are are different in other countries and make sure to find out about your rights post surgery.
+1
ICU in plastic surgery
It is obvious to me you have already decided to go to Mexico for your surgery. So why would having an ICU matter to you? You are already taking a chance on going to an area without the quality controls we have in the US. Is it really that much less expensive? There are areas in the US where you can get saline implants from $3900 or even less. I'm sure in NJ you can find one. Or call Global Medical Tourism to get a quote for in US. Regards
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Breast Augmentation is safe, ICU not needed
BAM is routine and safe procedure. It is done as an outpatient procedure. I do it in hospitals, and surgery centers without any ICU's. In 16 years of practic, and years of training, I have never seen a patient go to an ICU as a result of BAM.
If this hospital has a history of sending patients to an ICU after BAM -- you need to ask yourself what the heck you are doing?
I really can't strongly enough discourage you from cosmetic surgery tourism in a third world country. It isn't worth any...
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Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1
Why have surgery outside the country?
An ICU is not needed for routine plastic surgery and breast augmentation in particular. I am concerned for you that the hospital is telling you that the breast augmentation surgery can be very dangerous and that they think you might need an ICU. Perhaps you might consider looking locally for a board certified plastic surgery to help you choose a safe and predictable way of enhancing your breasts.
Charles Perry, MD
Sacramento Plastic Surgeon
Sacramento Plastic Surgeon
+1
No need to travel out of the country for a breast augmentation
Traveling out side the country to get plastic surgery is generally not the best choice. You would be better off having your surgery done in the US as there are certain standards of care. Not sure what the standards of care are in a clinic in Mexico. A study showed that the complication rate among patients who had this type of surgery in other countries was high and that patients who had complications had a hard time finding local plastic surgeons who were willing to take on the...
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Andrew Y. Kleinman, MD
Westchester Plastic Surgeon
Westchester Plastic Surgeon
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ICU and surgery
ICU's are specific to hospitals for critically ill patients. This does become importnat for sick patients or patients with severe complications. Most plastic surgery on healthy patients can be done in office based accredited facilities.
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You get what you pay for
Why go out of the country when the best plastic surgeons in the world are in your area. There are no controls in Mexico as there are in the US - both NY and NJ have rules regarding out patient facilities, where you are going a kitchen table will do for an OR. Also what if you have a problem, are you going back to the doctor there --- who would take care of you here if you have a post op problem? Have your surgery done in the good old USA.
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Accredited office operating room most important for breast augmentation.
Hi.
1) I think going out of the country has higher risks for breast augmentation, because it is so hard to really figure out how legitimate the surgeon is and how safe the operating room is.
2) You are sort of on the right track with your question. You don't need an ICU. What you do need is an ACCREDITED surgical suite, which has the same standards as a good hospital for dealing with any possible emergency in the operating room and in the recovery room.
