Combining cosmetic and general surgery procedures?

Question

I am scheduled to have a Laparoscopic R Adrenalectomy & R Thyroid Lobectomy, in mid October. I am in the research phase for breast augmentation (preferably endoscopic transaxillary sub-muscular silicone implants). I would like to combine my recoveries and either do them at the same time or one after the other. Is this a possibility if I find a PS that operates at that hospital (Swedish FH). What would your feelings or recommendations be if you were my surgeon?

Dallas Buchanan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. I am likely going to answer in the same way that most other surgeons on here will answer you. It is not wise to combine a breast augmentation surgery with other procedures such as this. The main goal of cosmetic surgery is safety and avoidance of complications and trying to combine an adrenal procedure, thyroid procedure, and a breast augmentation in the same day is a recipe for disaster. Best to get your other issues out of the way and then consider cosmetic surgery when everything else is healed.Good luck and be safe!

Manish C. Champaneria, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.I would not recommend performing these surgeries at the same time. An adrenelectomy and thyroidectomy is a large surgery, and you should recover before endeavoring to undergo breast augmentation. Although the idea of a combined surgery is great, the recovery may be intense, and if there is a complication with any of the surgeries, this might compromise your end result. Safe to separate them. Best of luck to you.

Rachel Streu, MD, FACS · Answer

I would not advise bundling your medically necessary surgical procedures with an elective BA. The risks that come along with your medically necessary procedures can adversely effect the outcome of an elective BA. Best to separate these procedures after you recover from the medically necessary procedures.

Curtis Wong, MD · Answer

in the same vicinity of the cosmetic procedure can be done such as ventral hernias but you are having major procedure for other issues that would prevent most prudent surgeons from trying to do an augmentation while under the same anesthetic.  Augmentation is elective surgery and its best to keep it elective when everything is perfect and you have no other issues going on with your health.  As for the transaxillary approach, make sure its endoscopic and your surgeon has a decent revision policy if it isn't right.  That approach has the highest risks for everything.

Benjamin J. Cousins, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. I would strongly recommend NOT having your BA surgery at the same time as your adrenal and thyroid surgeries. I agree with several of the other posts on this topic on here as well. The first two surgeries are being done as they are necessary and needed. They are much more important to your overall health and take a very high priority over any cosmetic procedures. They should not be combined at one OR session. After several months of recovery and when you are in good health, then revisit options for BA surgery.Best,Benjamin J. Cousins MDBoard Certified Plastic SurgeonBoard Certified General Surgeon

Arko Demianczuk, MD · Answer

some procedures can be safely combined in order to save time and money. This is not one of those situations. Get your medical condition dealt with before considering elective cosmetic breast surgery. This needs to be done in a staged manner.

Lisa Lynn Sowder, MD (retired) - Account Suspended · Answer

Occasionally it makes sense to combine a cosmetic procedure with a non-cosmetic one.  Tummy tuck at the time a hysterectomy or a hernia repair comes to mind.  In your case, yikes(!), I think trying to add on a cosmetic procedure to an adrenalectomy and thyroid lobectomy is a very bad idea.  My guess is that your general surgeon has told you this.  I also think any cautious and experienced plastic surgeon would also tell you this.   It is always nice to consolidate surgery time and recovery time but only when the surgeries being combined makes sense.

Brian Windle, MD (retired) · Answer

Combining procedures like you are interested in doing is not advisable for a number of reasons.  The number one reason is your health.  It is always best to take care of your general health needs so that you are in perfect from for your cosmetic surgery.  That way you are more likely to get the best result form all of your surgeries.From a downtime and cost perspective, having a breast augmentation at another time after you are recovered from your other surgeries should not be a problem.  Having cosmetic surgery in an office based setting is by far less expensive than in a hospital and if your surgeon employs a rapid recovery protocol you should be back to doing just about everything in a couple of days.I hope that helps.Best regards.

Robert M. Grenley, MD (retired) · Answer

It would not be a good idea to combine significant surgery on your thyroid and adrenal glands to cosmetic breast augmentation. You should recover from your surgery for a few months and consider breast augmentation to follow. Also, just in practical financial terms, I am on the active staff at Swedish Hospital but know of no plastic surgeon who does cosmetic surgery at the hospital due to the absurd cost after they abandoned any discounted cosmetic private pay rate. The OR fee alone (not counting surgeon's fee or anesthesia fee) for a 2 hour procedure was approximately $10,000, and they stopped letting us bring our implants with us and started up-charging implants to over $7,000 a pair. Also, most surgeons moved away from transaxillary placement due to a larger risk of capsular contracture when compared to an inframammary incision.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

You didn't state why you needed the adrenal and thyroid surgery however, these are big procedures with some real medical condition causing their need. In no way should these be mixed with a breast augmentation and I would be very suspicious of any plastic surgeon and general surgeon willing to combine on this. It would indicate poor judgement on their part IMO. Best to separate them and get the big surgery done and restore your good health then do the BA 6 months later. Also, transaxillary is going fast out of style with too high a capsular contracture and implant misplacement rate.

Combining cosmetic and general surgery procedures?

Answers (10)