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Surviving a Surgeons Ego
Dr. Albert suggested jaw implants as a solution for an aging jaw line. Before and after, I've had to see a lot of other surgeons, that is not a recommended solution by others for the specific problem I was trying to solve.
Since the implants were his suggestion on the first surgery, my request was to be as subtle as possible. He did what he wanted and put in giant implants. I was unrecognizable after as was reinforced repeated when I people I knew didn't know me. When I show pictures now, people are in shock of what a different person that was. Not subtle. Surgeons I've shown after, all comment with why would you do that to anyone, but especially a female. He thought results were amazing and wanted to show off my case to his students. I was in horror of the results. Big disconnect. You don't want a surgeon that doesn't listen and values his ego over patient's happiness.
Besides the mismatch in expectations, he wasn't good at listening to me. It took months to get him to be willing to talk about that not only were these too giant, but also, there was a problem in that one side flared so that pressure (e.g. sleeping) couldn't be put on that side. He finally agreed to fix them with custom implants. That's when the incompetence happened.
First in the design session for the custom implants he got so frustrated that he made me very uncomfortable. I have no idea why he was so mad, but it's was awful. He also seemed to be frustrated that I wasn't happy with the initial results that he had thought was amazing. He wasn't engaged in this second surgery like he was in the first. In that he was excited like a kid in a candy story. In this one, he was disengaged and almost pouting.
Then we did the surgery and he made 2 errors. One side he forgot to remove a nub on the bone, so the implant was improperly installed. Then he didn't screw the other side properly and it flipped sideways over the several weeks after surgery causing my face to be extremely crooked. I found out after that the implant company also hadn't done some setting to ensure symmetry. As the Dr. overseeing that, he was responsible to make sure it was correct. I don't he has much attention to detail, so that was overlooked. My next surgeon was able to notice that. It took me 4 months to listen that the implant was moving and was a problem.
I then had to do surgery #3 by a different surgeon.
Here's what I learned through this awful process and now having seen several different surgeons.
- Dr. Albert Carlotti will suggest many things that other surgeons wouldn't recommend. I don't know if this is ego or financially motivated. Whatever the reason behind it, it's pretty unprofessional.
- He isn't a good listener, nor a good communicator to ensure you fully understand what is happening.
- When there is a problem, it is hard to get him to acknowledge it.
- He doesn't have the same attention to detail as other surgeons.
- He isn't a board certified plastic surgeon. He should take more training, especially in ethics, effective listening and patient care.
- A funny part of his ego is he sends you home with an article on his bodybuilding story. He's very proud of it, but how is that relevant to the procedure or a patient's understanding. That's about him and his ego. It's really odd.
In conclusion, now after this journey is avoid him, especially if he recommends procedures for problems you weren't asking about. There are so many other good surgeons (unfortunately I know that because of his error in my surgery).
Since the implants were his suggestion on the first surgery, my request was to be as subtle as possible. He did what he wanted and put in giant implants. I was unrecognizable after as was reinforced repeated when I people I knew didn't know me. When I show pictures now, people are in shock of what a different person that was. Not subtle. Surgeons I've shown after, all comment with why would you do that to anyone, but especially a female. He thought results were amazing and wanted to show off my case to his students. I was in horror of the results. Big disconnect. You don't want a surgeon that doesn't listen and values his ego over patient's happiness.
Besides the mismatch in expectations, he wasn't good at listening to me. It took months to get him to be willing to talk about that not only were these too giant, but also, there was a problem in that one side flared so that pressure (e.g. sleeping) couldn't be put on that side. He finally agreed to fix them with custom implants. That's when the incompetence happened.
First in the design session for the custom implants he got so frustrated that he made me very uncomfortable. I have no idea why he was so mad, but it's was awful. He also seemed to be frustrated that I wasn't happy with the initial results that he had thought was amazing. He wasn't engaged in this second surgery like he was in the first. In that he was excited like a kid in a candy story. In this one, he was disengaged and almost pouting.
Then we did the surgery and he made 2 errors. One side he forgot to remove a nub on the bone, so the implant was improperly installed. Then he didn't screw the other side properly and it flipped sideways over the several weeks after surgery causing my face to be extremely crooked. I found out after that the implant company also hadn't done some setting to ensure symmetry. As the Dr. overseeing that, he was responsible to make sure it was correct. I don't he has much attention to detail, so that was overlooked. My next surgeon was able to notice that. It took me 4 months to listen that the implant was moving and was a problem.
I then had to do surgery #3 by a different surgeon.
Here's what I learned through this awful process and now having seen several different surgeons.
- Dr. Albert Carlotti will suggest many things that other surgeons wouldn't recommend. I don't know if this is ego or financially motivated. Whatever the reason behind it, it's pretty unprofessional.
- He isn't a good listener, nor a good communicator to ensure you fully understand what is happening.
- When there is a problem, it is hard to get him to acknowledge it.
- He doesn't have the same attention to detail as other surgeons.
- He isn't a board certified plastic surgeon. He should take more training, especially in ethics, effective listening and patient care.
- A funny part of his ego is he sends you home with an article on his bodybuilding story. He's very proud of it, but how is that relevant to the procedure or a patient's understanding. That's about him and his ego. It's really odd.
In conclusion, now after this journey is avoid him, especially if he recommends procedures for problems you weren't asking about. There are so many other good surgeons (unfortunately I know that because of his error in my surgery).
Provider Review
Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
3102 Ranch Road 620 S. , Austin, Texas