US plastic surgery vs Dominican Republic? I’m on the fence of having a TT and Liposuction.

While there are good surgeons in many countries including the Dominican Republic, having surgery at a reduced rate in a foreign country sounds
appealing, but there are many concerns that you should consider. Generally,
there is no preoperative direct discussion with the surgeon who is going to
perform the surgery in order to establish any reasonable doctor/patient
relationship. There are often language barriers that can interfere with your
care. Even if your surgeon speaks English, the ancillary personnel like the nurses
and the anesthesia provider who are involved in your care, may not. The quality
of hospitals outside of the U.S. varies tremendously. Some are accredited and
inspected, others are not. Even if the hospital has reasonable facilities and
the surgeon has training, which may not be up to the quality of training of a
plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the quality
of the nurses and others involved in your care may be very different from that
in the United States. They may have little or no formal medical education,
training or credentialing.
There
is usually little follow-up care. In addition, the general sanitary conditions
often increase the risk of infections, including some that are generally rare
in this country. There are major potential problems that may occur with traveling long distances
just before and after surgery, like dehydration and fatigue, but more
importantly complications including clots in the legs called deep venous
thrombosis and clots to the lung which may be life threatening.
In
most countries, if a problem develops, you will have little legal recourse and
no ability to file a complaint either against the hospital or about the
surgeon. If complications develop after you return home, it may be difficult or impossible to obtain care
from your local physicians. If problems do occur, the cost of subsequent care
can be far greater than the reduced cost of the original surgery. While there
are well-trained physicians in many other countries, I would suggest that you
travel for pleasure or business and have your surgery closer to home.
Robert
Singer, MDFACS
La
Jolla, California

Thanks for your question! I can’t stress strongly enough my bias in answering this question. Of course you need to stay in the US! Good old fashioned patriotism aside, have your surgery performed by a US board certified plastic surgeon! If you go to the Dominican, there are relatively NO liablilty & malpractice assurances, your follow up will be sporadic at best, & Inc you have a problem, NO surgeon back home will have anything to do with you.  Don’t bargain basement shop with your body! Best of luck to you!