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This left me feeling like I had been robbed of part of my body
After being tormented by this experience, I feel like I am finally in a place to re-live these events and speak about this. I recognize that Dr. Chiu has many great reviews, which is precisely what encouraged me to see him. That being said, I hope people take the time to read my review because what I experienced with is truly something I hope NOBODY ever has to go through. To this day I am still traumatized to the point where I check my scars every morning to make sure that nothing is wrong. Every time I see the pictures on my phone, I shudder. This was not just a botched job, but a serious health issue that was repeatedly minimized.
In September of 2018 I went to see Dr. Chiu for a revision breast augmentation. I came in with 550cc implants, which were quite heavy for my frame and were starting to sag. From research, I realized that I needed some sort of internal matrix (ex. alloderm) to support the weight of these implants. After my consultation, Dr. Chiu seemed confident that he could do it. I was told that the price would be USD$25,000, which shocked me at first. This seemed incredibly expensive even for revision surgery with alloderm. I considered his number of positive reviews, the fact that he was located in Beverly Hills, and the fact that he had taken a great deal of time to talk to me on my initial consultation. I figured I would have these implants for 10+ years, and they'd look great, so I paid the deposit. The follow-up meeting was my first inkling that something was off. Dr. Chiu seemed significantly more rushed, and didn't seem to remember the implant size he had originally indicated would be "perfect" based on my measurements and goals. He ended up suggesting that 590cc would be perfectly fine with the support of the internal matrix (this is important to remember for later). About a month into the healing process in early October, I realized that my left scar was rapidly widening and starting to thin out in the middle. I messaged Dr. Chiu, to which he responded that it was nothing to worry about, and that the scars could be dealt with down the line. In mid-November, I noticed two small, dark holes appear on the outer corner and the middle of my left scar. I quickly covered them with gauze to ensure they would stay clean. When I took the gauze off to shower, I noticed that it was covered in yellow fluid. Panicked, I contacted Dr. Chiu on November 18th. I sent him a number of photos of the hole and the drainage, to which Dr. Chiu responded that this was a normal part of the healing process. I had had two previous BAs, and had never experienced anything like this. I asked for antibiotics, expressing my concern that there was an infection. He told me that he didn’t feel I needed them. On December 14th, I contacted Dr. Chiu’s office to make an appointment, as I had itching, pain and increased yellow drainage. Despite this, I was told I needed to wait until January to see a doctor. I asked again for antibiotics, as I was traveling back to Canada for Christmas. Dr. Chiu again claims he feels that it is not infected but agrees to give me a prescription to ease my mind. When I returned in January to see Dr. Chiu, he sees the state of my scar and concludes that a revision is needed. He suggests that the implant may be too large for my body, therefore causing pressure on the scar. Keep in mind that 1) this is the size HE suggested and 2) I had implants that were only ~50cc smaller for over a year without wound healing problems. Dr. Chiu tells me that he’s going to perform a scar revision, but it’s unsanitary to do in his office, so I need to pay another $2,500 to have it performed under anesthesia in a medical facility. After this procedure (keep this in mind for later) he tells me that the alloderm is integrating well with my own tissues, meaning that my body is accepting it. A week later, the sutures are removed. Immediately I notice that the scar is beginning to widen again. By mid-February (1 month after surgery) I notice that the scar appears to be blue, which I now have learned is an indication of an exposed implant. Dr. Chiu tells me that this is normal and as long as I’m wearing a supportive bra, I’m ok. On February 23rd, I notice that the hole has opened up and I am leaking yellow fluid. The scar looks red on the edges and feels incredibly thin. I ask if I should be taking antibiotics and Dr. Chiu says “[he] can put [me] on one but “the antibiotics are a precaution”.The hole has quickly doubled in size. I begin to panic and I call Dr. Chiu. He agrees to meet me at his office to assess the situation. I am told after consulting with a colleague (who suggested I take the implants out or at a minimum, downsize) that I have 4 options:Implant removal, cleaning and reinsertionImplant replacement with same size Implant replacement with smaller sizeRemovalDr. Chiu made it sound like it was likely that the implant was too big for my body, so I chose to downsize the implants, thinking that it was a safe solution.On February 28th, 2019 I spent another $5000 to have the implants replaced. Another giant red flag happened when I looked at the implant box before surgery. I knew the measurements of my implants, and these didn’t look right. I found the implant chart online and realized that they had ordered the right CC volume but the wrong projection. These implants would have been much too wide for my body, potentially causing other complications such as a synmastia. I had to point this out to Dr. Chiu who vaguely apologized and had to last-minute order in new ones prior to the operation. The recovery after this surgery was much more painful than anything I had experienced in the past. It felt like my body was trying to fight the process. Dr. Chiu decided to keep the sutures and skin glue on for several weeks to be extra careful. On March 12th, the yellow drainage reappears. Dr. Chiu states that my scars appear to be healing well (despite his view being obstructed by the skin glue and sutures). He admits its odd to have drainage and says he will “keep [his] fingers crossed for [me]”. It struck me that someone who has taken an oath to do no harm would say something like that. He’s the surgeon, I’m his patient, I’m in his hands - this isn’t about luck. I again, am going back to Canada, so. Dr. Chiu (offers this time to) give me more antibiotics. When I get to the pharmacy I am told that they have checked and no prescription was ever called in When I’m in Canada, the drainage gets worse to the point where I have to wear six layers of non-stick gauze and replace it every hour or so. Eventually, when I have to lay down because when I stand up it runs down my body. On March 18th, when I changed my dressing, the skin glue comes off with it, revealing a series of holes. I felt like I was in a horror movie. My sutures were still in - I can’t imagine what would have happened if they weren’t. I could hear the squishing of my tissues when I moved. To this day that is still one of the most traumatic moments of my life. I got back on a flight and simultaneously made an appointment with Dr. Chiu and another surgeon. Dr. Chiu inspects the opening and says that I metabolize the dissolvable sutures faster than anyone he has ever seen and makes it sound like that is why my tissues are opening. He says he thinks he should suture me up in his office (which contradicts what he said about the sterility of that practice just prior to January 7th, 2019). He notes that if this doesn’t work, it is likely that the implants will have to come out. At this point, he seems to be under the impression that the reason all of the attempts to maintain an implant have failed are due to the fact that my body metabolizes the sutures too quickly for my tissues to properly heal). Desperate and scared about my body falling apart, I agree to be stitched up in hiss office. I am given a local numbing agent and sutured up while awake. I am scheduled to come back to meet with him the following MondayI then go to meet up with the new surgeon. He inspects me and tells me that my tissue is incredibly weak. He asks if I have had my fluid sent to a lab, to which I respond no. He is shocked that my surgeon hadn’t tested me for an infection at this point. I am told that I need to have surgery the following Monday (another $12,000 spent) and that there is a very low likelihood that I’ll be able to keep my implants. I had two types of infection bacteria, by the way. I woke up to no implants and part of my natural breasts missing. I had drains in my side to help remove any of the remaining infection. I learned that I had the alloderm that had been placed was much too big the pocket. Contrary to what Dr. Chiu had told me, my body had not integrated it. In fact, because the pieces were so large, my body was actually try to remove. It via the path of least resistance, ie my sutures. After surgery, I cried, feeling like I had been robbed of part of my body. I was worried people would see me and say that I somehow brought this upon myself. I didn’t understand how this happened - I did so much research, I followed all of the post-op care. It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with the fact that this wasn’t my fault. I wondered why I was the only person who seemed to have a negative experience with this surgeon, until I realized that when settlements happen, NDAs typically get signed to prevent people from leaving negative reviews. Of course, I do not know for a fact that this is the case with Dr. Chiu, but do keep this in mind that this is something that occurs. For anyone who thinks there may have been some ambiguity in this situation, maybe that my case was unprecedented or unusual, please see my question about this on the forum. Six surgeons have all responded to my image stating that the implant was exposed and needed immediate attention. Dr. Chiu should have known this right away. I don't doubt that Dr. Chiu will try to refute my statements. If anyone wants to see my detailed timeline, more pictures or proof that I was a patient, please feel free to message me.
In September of 2018 I went to see Dr. Chiu for a revision breast augmentation. I came in with 550cc implants, which were quite heavy for my frame and were starting to sag. From research, I realized that I needed some sort of internal matrix (ex. alloderm) to support the weight of these implants. After my consultation, Dr. Chiu seemed confident that he could do it. I was told that the price would be USD$25,000, which shocked me at first. This seemed incredibly expensive even for revision surgery with alloderm. I considered his number of positive reviews, the fact that he was located in Beverly Hills, and the fact that he had taken a great deal of time to talk to me on my initial consultation. I figured I would have these implants for 10+ years, and they'd look great, so I paid the deposit. The follow-up meeting was my first inkling that something was off. Dr. Chiu seemed significantly more rushed, and didn't seem to remember the implant size he had originally indicated would be "perfect" based on my measurements and goals. He ended up suggesting that 590cc would be perfectly fine with the support of the internal matrix (this is important to remember for later). About a month into the healing process in early October, I realized that my left scar was rapidly widening and starting to thin out in the middle. I messaged Dr. Chiu, to which he responded that it was nothing to worry about, and that the scars could be dealt with down the line. In mid-November, I noticed two small, dark holes appear on the outer corner and the middle of my left scar. I quickly covered them with gauze to ensure they would stay clean. When I took the gauze off to shower, I noticed that it was covered in yellow fluid. Panicked, I contacted Dr. Chiu on November 18th. I sent him a number of photos of the hole and the drainage, to which Dr. Chiu responded that this was a normal part of the healing process. I had had two previous BAs, and had never experienced anything like this. I asked for antibiotics, expressing my concern that there was an infection. He told me that he didn’t feel I needed them. On December 14th, I contacted Dr. Chiu’s office to make an appointment, as I had itching, pain and increased yellow drainage. Despite this, I was told I needed to wait until January to see a doctor. I asked again for antibiotics, as I was traveling back to Canada for Christmas. Dr. Chiu again claims he feels that it is not infected but agrees to give me a prescription to ease my mind. When I returned in January to see Dr. Chiu, he sees the state of my scar and concludes that a revision is needed. He suggests that the implant may be too large for my body, therefore causing pressure on the scar. Keep in mind that 1) this is the size HE suggested and 2) I had implants that were only ~50cc smaller for over a year without wound healing problems. Dr. Chiu tells me that he’s going to perform a scar revision, but it’s unsanitary to do in his office, so I need to pay another $2,500 to have it performed under anesthesia in a medical facility. After this procedure (keep this in mind for later) he tells me that the alloderm is integrating well with my own tissues, meaning that my body is accepting it. A week later, the sutures are removed. Immediately I notice that the scar is beginning to widen again. By mid-February (1 month after surgery) I notice that the scar appears to be blue, which I now have learned is an indication of an exposed implant. Dr. Chiu tells me that this is normal and as long as I’m wearing a supportive bra, I’m ok. On February 23rd, I notice that the hole has opened up and I am leaking yellow fluid. The scar looks red on the edges and feels incredibly thin. I ask if I should be taking antibiotics and Dr. Chiu says “[he] can put [me] on one but “the antibiotics are a precaution”.The hole has quickly doubled in size. I begin to panic and I call Dr. Chiu. He agrees to meet me at his office to assess the situation. I am told after consulting with a colleague (who suggested I take the implants out or at a minimum, downsize) that I have 4 options:Implant removal, cleaning and reinsertionImplant replacement with same size Implant replacement with smaller sizeRemovalDr. Chiu made it sound like it was likely that the implant was too big for my body, so I chose to downsize the implants, thinking that it was a safe solution.On February 28th, 2019 I spent another $5000 to have the implants replaced. Another giant red flag happened when I looked at the implant box before surgery. I knew the measurements of my implants, and these didn’t look right. I found the implant chart online and realized that they had ordered the right CC volume but the wrong projection. These implants would have been much too wide for my body, potentially causing other complications such as a synmastia. I had to point this out to Dr. Chiu who vaguely apologized and had to last-minute order in new ones prior to the operation. The recovery after this surgery was much more painful than anything I had experienced in the past. It felt like my body was trying to fight the process. Dr. Chiu decided to keep the sutures and skin glue on for several weeks to be extra careful. On March 12th, the yellow drainage reappears. Dr. Chiu states that my scars appear to be healing well (despite his view being obstructed by the skin glue and sutures). He admits its odd to have drainage and says he will “keep [his] fingers crossed for [me]”. It struck me that someone who has taken an oath to do no harm would say something like that. He’s the surgeon, I’m his patient, I’m in his hands - this isn’t about luck. I again, am going back to Canada, so. Dr. Chiu (offers this time to) give me more antibiotics. When I get to the pharmacy I am told that they have checked and no prescription was ever called in When I’m in Canada, the drainage gets worse to the point where I have to wear six layers of non-stick gauze and replace it every hour or so. Eventually, when I have to lay down because when I stand up it runs down my body. On March 18th, when I changed my dressing, the skin glue comes off with it, revealing a series of holes. I felt like I was in a horror movie. My sutures were still in - I can’t imagine what would have happened if they weren’t. I could hear the squishing of my tissues when I moved. To this day that is still one of the most traumatic moments of my life. I got back on a flight and simultaneously made an appointment with Dr. Chiu and another surgeon. Dr. Chiu inspects the opening and says that I metabolize the dissolvable sutures faster than anyone he has ever seen and makes it sound like that is why my tissues are opening. He says he thinks he should suture me up in his office (which contradicts what he said about the sterility of that practice just prior to January 7th, 2019). He notes that if this doesn’t work, it is likely that the implants will have to come out. At this point, he seems to be under the impression that the reason all of the attempts to maintain an implant have failed are due to the fact that my body metabolizes the sutures too quickly for my tissues to properly heal). Desperate and scared about my body falling apart, I agree to be stitched up in hiss office. I am given a local numbing agent and sutured up while awake. I am scheduled to come back to meet with him the following MondayI then go to meet up with the new surgeon. He inspects me and tells me that my tissue is incredibly weak. He asks if I have had my fluid sent to a lab, to which I respond no. He is shocked that my surgeon hadn’t tested me for an infection at this point. I am told that I need to have surgery the following Monday (another $12,000 spent) and that there is a very low likelihood that I’ll be able to keep my implants. I had two types of infection bacteria, by the way. I woke up to no implants and part of my natural breasts missing. I had drains in my side to help remove any of the remaining infection. I learned that I had the alloderm that had been placed was much too big the pocket. Contrary to what Dr. Chiu had told me, my body had not integrated it. In fact, because the pieces were so large, my body was actually try to remove. It via the path of least resistance, ie my sutures. After surgery, I cried, feeling like I had been robbed of part of my body. I was worried people would see me and say that I somehow brought this upon myself. I didn’t understand how this happened - I did so much research, I followed all of the post-op care. It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with the fact that this wasn’t my fault. I wondered why I was the only person who seemed to have a negative experience with this surgeon, until I realized that when settlements happen, NDAs typically get signed to prevent people from leaving negative reviews. Of course, I do not know for a fact that this is the case with Dr. Chiu, but do keep this in mind that this is something that occurs. For anyone who thinks there may have been some ambiguity in this situation, maybe that my case was unprecedented or unusual, please see my question about this on the forum. Six surgeons have all responded to my image stating that the implant was exposed and needed immediate attention. Dr. Chiu should have known this right away. I don't doubt that Dr. Chiu will try to refute my statements. If anyone wants to see my detailed timeline, more pictures or proof that I was a patient, please feel free to message me.
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