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POSTED UNDER Tummy Tuck REVIEWS

Botched Tummy Tuck from Dr Hochstein

ORIGINAL POST

Botched Tummy Tuck from Dr Hochstein

sdrake_
$9,500

After researching I chose Dr Hochstein but it was the biggest mistake ever and I'm still paying for it,, mentally, physically and financially. Everyone was great prior to surgery and paid in full. 

Immediately after a couple days I knew something was wrong, my 1st major surgery and when I complained he would call very hostile, holler and screamed at me saying quit trying to control your care. I was in and out of the ER, I had a huge knot on my incision a seroma. I flew back down to see Dr H, he was very sick, 2 black eyes and large C cuts behind his ears. He came in, horrible bedside manner, took a syringe and drained fluid, put me on the table and cleaned up my horrible looking wounds and left. I got dressed, opened the door and ask for the dr and was told to go back in the room and shut the door. A lady came in and took me to a room and photographed me and sent me away. 

I traveled from Texas, had to have a wheelchair take me to the plane, there and back. I was very sick, weak and defeated at this time. Back home, in and out of ER, no surgeon wants to take you behind another one. My primary sent me to a general surgeon, he didn't want any part of it and sent me to a radiologist to put drains back in to get fluid off me. My last call to Dr H was the day I got my drains out, he was ugly. The coordinator sent me a paper to sign stating the dr would have no fault or liability for my care coming back to Florida, including death. I was terrified, scared, honestly thought if I went back to FL I may not return. 

I finally found a surgeon to take me, I was a complete botch job, huge openings on my scar. I went into surgery, the dr woke me up telling me your not crazy, we took a golf ball size out of you that contained a foreign object. I had some relief down low but continued with pain around my navel that has kept me from picking grandkids up, every day activities and cant walk far without alot of pain. I am self employed so no insurance, drained funds and a dr that abandoned me. I'm in the process now of having a second surgery 2 years later to see what in God's name is causing this. It was a bad day in the OR, sometimes I pray I make it through this and walk without pain. There is so much more to say but beware of this man.

sdrake_'s provider

Leonard Hochstein, MD - Account Suspended

Leonard Hochstein, MD - Account Suspended

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

sdrake_ rating for Dr. Hochstein:

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Replies (4)

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July 29, 2021
This was one of the most bizarre patient interactions I have ever had. The results of the surgery were excellent and if realself had a policy of allowing photographs, I could easily prove it. At a time when proper healing should have continued this person began seeking medical interventions that were not indicated. When I would call telling her to avoid these things she would begin crying and accusing everyone of being mean to her. It was impossible. Contrary to my advice she continued with these interventions which resulted in healing issues. When I saw her in person I reiterated that she should stop going from physician to other physician with these interventions and allow for simple healing but she refused and continued down this path. The idea that I had black eyes, or was sick, or anything else she wrote is just as absurd as the rest of this review and simply not true. I dont even understand why someone would say something like that. Because of these interventions the scar, in spite of looking perfect in the begining, healed poorly. With some reservation, because I came to the conclusion that this person was not mentally well, I offered to perform a scar revision free of charge. I did this because I still felt an obligation to this person to do everything I could to have a good outcome even though she refused to comply with my recommendations. The forms sent were the same forms everyone signs prior to surgery. Not surprisingly her reaction was that I was going to kill her. The foreign body she claims was taken out of her? Not surprisingly it was a stitch. The same type of stitch used by every surgeon on the planet performing tummy tucks. I truly feel badly for this patient. Mental health is so important these days and if there are issues the last thing someone should seek is elective surgery
Leonard Hochstein, MD.
User Avatar
July 30, 2021
Contrary to my advice she continued with these interventions which resulted in healing issues. When I saw her in person I reiterated that she should stop going from physician to other physician with these interventions and allow for simple healing but she refused and continued down this path. The idea that i had black eyes, or was sick, or anything else she wrote is just as absurd as the rest of this review and simply not true.
User Avatar
July 30, 2021
I dont even understand why someone would say something like that. Because of these interventions the scar, in spite of looking perfect in the begining, healed poorly. With some reservation, because I came to the conclusion that this person was not mentally well, I offered to perform a scar revision free of charge. I did this because I still felt an obligation to this person to do everything I could to have a good outcome even though she refused to comply with my recommendations. The forms sent were the same forms everyone signs prior to surgery. Not surprisingly her reaction was that I was going to kill her. The foreign body she claims was taken out of her? Not surprisingly it was a stitch.
User Avatar
July 30, 2021
The same type of stitch used by every surgeon on the planet performing tummy tucks. I truly feel badly for this patient. Mental health is so important these days and if there are issues the last thing someone should seek is elective surgery
Leonard Hochstein, M