Need a time frame. Is it OK to fly a few days after surgery? How long should I wait to come back to NY?
Most plastic surgeonswould have several concerns with what you are planning. Combination procedures may be performed together. Whether you are a reasonablecandidate, however, for the combination of procedures you listed depends onyour anatomy, the extent of the abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) , the complexity ofthe BBL, the amount of liposuction, your medical history, medical clearance from your primary physician,realistic expectations of the outcome and an understanding of the pros and consof the various procedures.Most patients prefer undergoing one anesthesia and one recovery period which isusually more cost effective, but many surgeons would prefer performing theseprocedures in 2 separate operations to diminish the potential forcomplications. Having stated that, most ethical experienced surgeons would feelthat the combination of procedures that you listed would be excessive toperform at the same time.Safety should always be the main concern. It is generally recommended that thelength of elective surgery be less than six hours. The procedures should beperformed in an ambulatory facility that is accredited by one of the nationallyrecognized accrediting organizations like the American Association forAccreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF) or if it is outside ofthe Unite States an international organization like the the AmericanAssociation for Accreditation for Ambulatory Surgery Facilities International,(AAAASFI) or in a licensed hospital. Having surgery at a reduced rate in a foreign country sounds appealing, butthere are many concerns that you should consider. Generally, there is nopreoperative direct discussion with the surgeon who is going to perform thesurgery in order to establish any reasonable doctor/patient relationship. Thereare often language barriers that can interfere with your care. Even if yoursurgeon speaks English, the ancillary personnel like the nurses and the anesthesiaprovider who are involved in your care, may not. The quality of hospitalsoutside of the U.S. varies tremendously. Some are accredited and inspected,others are not. Even if the hospital has reasonable facilities and the surgeonhas training, which may not be up to the quality of training of a plasticsurgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the quality of thenurses and others involved in your care may be very different from that in theUnited States. They may have little or no formal medical education, training orcredentialing.There is usually little follow-up care. In addition, the general sanitaryconditions often increase the risk of infections, including some that aregenerally rare in this country.There are also major potential problems that may occur with travelinglong distances just before and after surgery, like dehydration and fatigue, butmore importantly complications including clots in the legs called deep venousthrombosis and clots to the lung which may be life threatening.In most countries, if a problem develops, you will have little legal recourseand no ability to file a complaint either against the hospital or about thesurgeon. If complications.,develop after you return home, it may be difficultor 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 theoriginal surgery. While there are well-trained physicians in many othercountries, I would suggest that you travel for pleasure or business and haveyour surgery closer to home.Flying home a few days after extensive surgery adds a significant risk of severe complications.Robert Singer, MD FACSLa Jolla, California
How about one month at least. Most surgeons performing this procedure like to see their patients frequently for several weeks. There are a lot of things that may go wrong or need evaluation in the first few weeks so I prefer to see my patients often. Even doing this in a city in the US that is not your hometown is safer than going to a foreign country for surgery. Great price in these places and frequently equivalent results...until you have a problem. My partner recently consulted on a fat grafting procedure done in DR with cellulitis of the buttock. On IV antibiotics for 1 week now. She has no insurance. Her hospitalization may bankrupt her