POSTED UNDER Breast Reconstruction Revision Reviews
Consent Violation, Deformity, Intense Pain, Lack of Accountability
ORIGINAL POST
Consent Violation, Deformity, Intense Pain, Lack of Accountability
Intelligent7863June 11, 2019
$5,000
This week marked the year anniversary from my surgery with Dr. Salzberg, a year in which every single day I suffered from pain and such increasing deformity and loosening of my skin below my shoulders that I now have to cover my bust.
In the year since my surgery with with Dr. Salzberg, I have lived in debilitating pain and increasing deformity; real detriments to my health, leading to two major health scares and destabilization of my life. In the times I met with him post-surgery, Dr. Salzberg has not been able to provide any understanding as to why he made choices in surgery I had unequivocally stated I was not willing to undergo when he originally brought them up, explaining my rationale and telling him that those choices were highly likely, in my view, to result in pain and aesthetically unpleasant outcomes.
I came to Dr. Salzberg based on his bio and online reviews. I considered doing my reconstruction revision surgery with him based on his proclamation to me that he could address a particular issue from my previous surgery to my liking, an issue other surgeons told me they were not confident they could fix. Fixing this particular issue, I considered to be vital for my ability to function. I shared my concerns with Dr. Salzerg. I sought his input and I objected to some of his inclinations, explaining that I regarded those as likely to entail pain and deformity. I also explained to Dr. Salzberg, that since I had had reconstruction before (with mostly excellent results and zero pain), I was not eager to put my body under the stress of another procedure lightly, but only if I had confidence that the issues in question could be resolved. Knowing my body, I set parameters of what I was willing to have done and what I was not, explaining my reasoning. Dr. Salzberg expressed hyperbolic confidence in his ability to fix the issues in question that colleagues of his had declared hard to improve.
On the day of the procedure, I became concerned that Dr. Salzberg may not abide by my personal requests in surgery, so I told him I am inclined to leave the hospital and rethink the surgery. He assured me that he would follow my requests, so I proceeded, making my consent conditional upon that. When I woke up, I saw immediately he had, after all, followed his own plan. The implants were almost 50% more of what my body could contain (resulting in excruciating pain) and what I had said I was willing to have placed in me. His reply was that other "women get used to it."
A fold of the one implant was visible as it was sticking out of my muscle (!). This in the months that followed became a blade that irritated my muscle from underneath. As a result of this intervention, I have lived in a form of hell (without exaggeration) for the last year. Regrettably, the procedure I had with Dr. Salzberg, despite my giving him all the information he needed, did not address any issues. It just made the issues far worse.
I cannot know what the outcome of another approach, like the one I had consistently and unmistakably requested, might have been. What I know is that I had predicted the outcome of this approach and had communicated it to him before surgery. Dr. Salzerg was not listening then and wasn’t not listening when I said to him “I do not consent.” It is unfathomable how a non surgeon like myself could better predict a surgical outcome, compared to a distinguished and talented surgeon. It is also baffling how my consent was violated.
Moreover, Dr. Salzberg never saw me in the hospital after my surgery and his office didn't call to see how I was doing the day after surgery. For 3 days after my surgery I had pain and questions about what bra to wear and despite leaving 4 messages with their answering service, no one called me back to triage and respond to any issues. When he finally saw me two times after my surgery, he proposed that we meet again after the summer to see if my condition has improved. When I returned, his coordinator wrote to me in an email that he sees patients in Tarrytown ( 1.2 hours away from NYC where he had seen me ). They eventually gave me an appointment for NYC where is actually regularly seeing patients every week and conducting surgery and where I had originally seen him. After another 3 appointments, he told me there is nothing he can do. I asked his scheduling person for an exit appointment to address the issues of consent violation and unilateral decisions he made. I was told he has no appointments available for 2 months. When I spoke with a person who didn't know me, I was given an appointment for the following week, only to have someone else within minutes telling me that his schedule had changed and I could only be seen in 2 months. At this point, I am requesting a response from him in writing. Posting such review is very uncomfortable as both a patient and a doctor myself. I feel it is my ethical duty to so with in both capacities.
In the year since my surgery with with Dr. Salzberg, I have lived in debilitating pain and increasing deformity; real detriments to my health, leading to two major health scares and destabilization of my life. In the times I met with him post-surgery, Dr. Salzberg has not been able to provide any understanding as to why he made choices in surgery I had unequivocally stated I was not willing to undergo when he originally brought them up, explaining my rationale and telling him that those choices were highly likely, in my view, to result in pain and aesthetically unpleasant outcomes.
I came to Dr. Salzberg based on his bio and online reviews. I considered doing my reconstruction revision surgery with him based on his proclamation to me that he could address a particular issue from my previous surgery to my liking, an issue other surgeons told me they were not confident they could fix. Fixing this particular issue, I considered to be vital for my ability to function. I shared my concerns with Dr. Salzerg. I sought his input and I objected to some of his inclinations, explaining that I regarded those as likely to entail pain and deformity. I also explained to Dr. Salzberg, that since I had had reconstruction before (with mostly excellent results and zero pain), I was not eager to put my body under the stress of another procedure lightly, but only if I had confidence that the issues in question could be resolved. Knowing my body, I set parameters of what I was willing to have done and what I was not, explaining my reasoning. Dr. Salzberg expressed hyperbolic confidence in his ability to fix the issues in question that colleagues of his had declared hard to improve.
On the day of the procedure, I became concerned that Dr. Salzberg may not abide by my personal requests in surgery, so I told him I am inclined to leave the hospital and rethink the surgery. He assured me that he would follow my requests, so I proceeded, making my consent conditional upon that. When I woke up, I saw immediately he had, after all, followed his own plan. The implants were almost 50% more of what my body could contain (resulting in excruciating pain) and what I had said I was willing to have placed in me. His reply was that other "women get used to it."
A fold of the one implant was visible as it was sticking out of my muscle (!). This in the months that followed became a blade that irritated my muscle from underneath. As a result of this intervention, I have lived in a form of hell (without exaggeration) for the last year. Regrettably, the procedure I had with Dr. Salzberg, despite my giving him all the information he needed, did not address any issues. It just made the issues far worse.
I cannot know what the outcome of another approach, like the one I had consistently and unmistakably requested, might have been. What I know is that I had predicted the outcome of this approach and had communicated it to him before surgery. Dr. Salzerg was not listening then and wasn’t not listening when I said to him “I do not consent.” It is unfathomable how a non surgeon like myself could better predict a surgical outcome, compared to a distinguished and talented surgeon. It is also baffling how my consent was violated.
Moreover, Dr. Salzberg never saw me in the hospital after my surgery and his office didn't call to see how I was doing the day after surgery. For 3 days after my surgery I had pain and questions about what bra to wear and despite leaving 4 messages with their answering service, no one called me back to triage and respond to any issues. When he finally saw me two times after my surgery, he proposed that we meet again after the summer to see if my condition has improved. When I returned, his coordinator wrote to me in an email that he sees patients in Tarrytown ( 1.2 hours away from NYC where he had seen me ). They eventually gave me an appointment for NYC where is actually regularly seeing patients every week and conducting surgery and where I had originally seen him. After another 3 appointments, he told me there is nothing he can do. I asked his scheduling person for an exit appointment to address the issues of consent violation and unilateral decisions he made. I was told he has no appointments available for 2 months. When I spoke with a person who didn't know me, I was given an appointment for the following week, only to have someone else within minutes telling me that his schedule had changed and I could only be seen in 2 months. At this point, I am requesting a response from him in writing. Posting such review is very uncomfortable as both a patient and a doctor myself. I feel it is my ethical duty to so with in both capacities.
UPDATED FROM Intelligent7863
1 year post
additional pictures
Intelligent7863June 12, 2019
Pictures demonstrating the push and size that cause tremendous pain and deformity. I am currently consulting with a number of providers and my old surgeon to decide what the best option for amelioration is. Older pictures added for comparison.
Replies (5)
July 26, 2019
I'm so sorry that you are going through this,it is horrible when the results do not look anything like what was portrayed not to mention the considerable pain physically as well as emotionally. I hope things get better for you. Thank you for sharing!
November 2, 2019
I'm not the suing kind of person but this is just totally unacceptable. He needs to be held accountable!
November 5, 2019
I have had you on my mind and I hope you get some relief soon. You are a strong woman for sure!
March 17, 2020
Thank you! I hadn't checked Realself in a while and just saw your nice comments! Thank you so much for your support and kind words. I have seen a number of doctors both in NY and in Europe and it is a hard situation to fix because the implants have stretched the skin is much. I am still looking for a solution.I am barely able to function daily. Practitioners are saying that it is hard to fix this unless I opt to do flap reconstruction, which I don't feel comfortable doing. The amount of aloderm used and stitched on the muscles has created a scar tissue wall all around them that pulls in all directions. I really appreciated the kind words. I will repost when there is an update.

Replies (5)