PARALYZED the left side of my face during Buccal Fat Removal. He Cauterized the Nerve. PLEASE don't trust this man- Knoxville

Provider Review

• 4 May 2015

Really, I'm supposed to twirl my thumbs for 6 weeks with a paralyzed face in hopes that my body will heal itself?!! Of course, it's not his face nor his family members face if that was the case he would have been 100x more careful and/or jumped on IMMEDIATE treatment. I was not going to leave this review because I do understand that people make mistakes but he is not even willing to help me fix the damage that he has done. I strongly believe in communicating to make things right and he has refused treatment 3 times .... I had surgery on April 6th by Dr. Steven J. Smith that has left me partially paralyzed on the left side of my face. I'm reminded everyday that the left side of my face is paralyzed because I wake up with a drooled wet pillow, stiff right jaw and a swollen face. The right side of my jaw hurts for the over compensation of the left. At the end of the day attempting to get my mouth open to eat dinner, I have to pry it open with the spoon just to end up drinking a protein shake instead without a straw. It's nearly impossible to grasp on to a straw and you should see the unnatural facial expression trying to do so. On occasion my drink spills out of the left side of my mouth. This is stuff one would never fathom until it happens. Happy to say that I'm not paralyzed on the right side of my face. Setting aside the stiffness, the right side has fully recovered with slight improvement prior to surgery. I've asked Dr. Smith to prescribe me Prednisone, Vitamin b-12 injectable and Vitamin C injectable for better faster healing if any healing occurs. He said it will subside on its own. I'm not asking for narcotics. I'm only asking for meds that will help my body heal faster. I'm in disbelief. He acknowledges the damage that he has done but refuses to give me any medication to help it heal faster. Again, I understand mistakes happen but to be able to help me get better sooner and to not do so, is beyond me. He was clearly sloppy or should I say carelessly loose during the procedure.... During a surgery the doctor is to locate the nerve branch and carefully protect and work around the nerve. NOT CAUTERIZE THE NERVE. My trust was put into his hands while under anesthesia. I could not tell him, "Stop, you're getting to close to the nerve or I know you have other scheduled appointments but USE YOUR HEAD, take an extra couple of minutes, you're cauterizing too deeply too fast and liable of cauterizing a nerve before you get to where you need to be. You have a human being in your hands and remember that lifeless thing at the time being is not just a number".. Dr. Steven Smith has an amazing beautiful hearted Anesthesiologist and you better believe after this experience, I am beyond grateful for her. Besides Dr. Steven J Smith leaving me paralyzed on the left side of my face with absolutely no treatment. The office staff Samantha, Catherine, Carrie and Christi which are all posted publicly on his website have been total sweethearts. I will continue to give updates of my hopeful recovery..You may see the images on my profile..Please don't put your trust in this man. He will permanently damage you and act delusional, unlike any worthy physician.....Sad reality to expect Post Op..... 7 May 2015 1 month post Maybe the Germans have a code word to describe Dr. Steven J Smiths act of delusion and murmured words. That's the best way I can describe my first and last visit with him Post Op. Otherwise Deanna gets to do the dirty work over the phone and to hear the desperate plead in her voice stating, "I don't know, I understand what you're saying but I'm just the nurse relaying his message and that is what he said." One can tell that she has been through it many many times....I can honestly say that I had an awesome review written up for Dr. Steven Smith based only on the initial consultation. He was as clear, kind and direct as he could be. Why the 180 degree change with the act of delusion and murmured words? My child does the same thing when I ask her why she did something that she wasn't supposed to be doing. I'd not be upset if I didn't have a valid reason to be. Being left with facial paralysis because the doctor cauterized a nerve while under anesthesia is way above and beyond justifiable for my actions. 7/22/15 Today I visited Dr. Steven J. Smith to go over all my symptoms and my hospital stay a couple of days ago due to the damaged nerve that he performed on me April 6th. I told him that I have a lil female dog inside my cheek that will not leave me alone. That's the nicest way I can explain it too date; 16 weeks after surgery. He cauterized the buccal nerve branch during buccal fat removal. He previously said he didn't cauterize the nerve despite the proof that shows otherwise. He stated that he damaged the nerve while trying to work around the nerve, it became irritated and damaged. He has 20 years of experience. I asked him today, Although I know the facts, lets just say you damaged the nerve through maneuvering it, what is your limit, At what point do you tell yourself enough is enough, she can keep her fat cheek for all I care, but I'm not going to damage the nerve?" He didn't answer my question and changed the subject. He didn't murmur this time. He stated, "He was unable to see the nerve during the surgical procedure.".......WHAT IS "HIS" TRUTH?... He went in, in a hurry with too much confidence and cauterized the nerve before he could twitch but had to follow through..Dr. Steven J. Smith with 20 years of experience, If you're reading this and have an honest defense, please feel free to defend yourself. I'd sincerely love to hear it. During our visits you smoothly change the subjects. You said that you feel like you're being attacked. You've attacked me and I hate to say that. The truth deeply hurts. I'm reminded of it literally every second, it's smack in the face and I can't even say "per se". I do hold it against you. I want justice and peace of this constant dull pain and intermittent striking pain of this damaged nerve and the snarly muscle tension that I cannot release. I have many videos of this damaged nerve during a regular conversation and while I eat but I personally feel embarrassed and ashamed of them. You have no right to lie and defend yourself but yet you do during our visits. On the surface you seem to be a very kind person but your moral is naturally in question.......I've made huge mistakes that left me in disbelief of myself but I've quietly pay the consequences....I got deluded then deformed by Dr. Steven J. Smith and he got paid for doing so. He refuses to stand uprightly for his wrong doing. Is that right?? Even a villain can answer that question correctly. He also did an upper lip lift on the same day. "Why am I not complaining about the right side?" Because HE PERFECTED THE RIGHT SIDE! He demolished the left side from paralysis to uneven skin. Also he didn't do any drawings on my face prior to surgery. So what does he go by with a dead beat patient lying on the table under anesthesia?! Clearly he is not that great to use only his own mental judgement to be precise. He sounds great but he is careless and loose while under anesthesia. It's been 4 months now and I can't relax my facial muscles and it's taking every bit of energy out of me, It's a constant reminder due to the dull pain and a horrible distraction on a day to day down to second basis. Please don't let this happen to you and get a doctor with a descent amount of experience. I wish I'd chosen Dr. David B. Reath...For an extreme understatement, It's so hard to Live Life with paralysis. It has also cost me thousands to have this paralysis tested and treated. It has cost my insurance tens of thousands of dollars. Don't do the same mistake I did and choose a worthy plastic surgeon. I'm as sincere as they come and will continue to give updates even if I improve....8/3/15 I still can't relax my muscle and it's taking every bit of energy out of me, It is a constant reminder due to the dull pain and a horrible distraction on a day to day down to seconds basis. Please don't let this happen to you and get a doctor with a descent amount of experience..For an extreme understatement; It's so hard to Live Life with paralysis. Imagine getting tiny punches on your face all day long as those punches worsen throughout the day, No matter how much you move around, you can't run away from it nor beg for it to go away and try to find some time alone go in a corner and weep. It even hurts to cry. Throughout my days I get short tempered, the taunt will not go away as it 's getting worse. I do pray for Dr. Steven J. Smith that he can sleep peacefully with himself every night knowing what he has done. The Office Manager is his wife. My damaged nerve is taken to an extreme personal level being that she is his wife and is defensive. There's nothing wrong with the Office Manager being the wife but when Dr. Steven J. Smith damages you, you'll literally be on your own. He has asked me to take the damaged nerve that he has damaged, elsewhere Since I've stated nothing but pure facts on Realself and that is how he handles his business as well, Therefore it's not only in his handwork. He has treated it as if though it's normal to be paralyzed and to give it time but it has already been 4 grueling months, the longest months of my life. 8/20/2015: I'm currently suffering from synkinesis. Synkinesis is followed after several months of severe facial paralysis which is due to "Severe Nerve Damage." Synkinesis occurs as a result of the misdirected nerve fibers re-innervating the wrong facial muscles and I can literally feel my muscles tare on the left side of my buccal as the nerve is regrowing into the wrong muscles. It is horribly painful with the muscle tightness in my left buccal then to feel it tare and have absolutely no control over it but to bat my watery eyes. How Dr. Steven J. Smith will now try to argue what he has done; in my opinion is simply in-human. He doesn't care about the fact that he has injured me through Medical Malpractice and the consequences that I'm having to live and suffer through on a daily basis. I haven't publicly written a fraction of what I'm having to go through due to the negligence of Dr. Steven J. Smith and his POOR handwork. If you knew everything that I'm going through, you would second think even a consultation with this man. What's even worse is that he doesn't back his Poor work then complains about being attacked. Ummm this all began when Dr. Steven J. Smith refused treatment 3 times after he cauterized my left buccal nerve... His sweet staff members only defense is "We don't know anything." Such a sad position. 8/21/2015 A couple of months after surgery; I have the exact date written down Dr. Steven J. Smith stated, "The nerve will grow back even if it grows in the opposite direction, it will grow back." Which at the time that put me at ease. What he didn't explain was that is called Synkinesis and in that case the nerve would be growing into any muscle, therefore would play a completely different role as far as the functionality of my face, symmetry and the pain that I would endure to go through it. It's 3 A.M. right now and can't sleep because of the striking pain I have from this damaged nerve. 10/18/2015: It is dertimental that I contain my anger and happiness in every aspect. I have a 7 y/o and naturally kids want what and when they want it, whatever it maybe and if it's not possible one must explain and sometimes argue, every parent has experienced it. The first time I asked her calmly, "Please, please do not make me angry." She was setback by it, almost like "Don't you at least want to argue some facts?!" She has no clue what has happened but she knows something has severely changed. I cannot give her the super exciting smiles I once would always give her. Although I try, I can make it half ways before the snarly smirk; within my cheek and heart it hurts badly. It confuses her and I don't know what to say or do. More than 6 months later I do feel a very tiny, a grain of sand of guilt to continue to critique Dr. Steven J. Smith for what he has done to my family and I. Meanwhile, it is not possible to forgive a careless being with crooked hands. Within myself I know for a FACT that Dr. Steven J. Smith is sorry ONLY because of this review toward HIMSELF and what it involves towards his business. Even if this site allowed the words that I think of this man and his poor handwork, which goes hand in hand with the CONSTANT PAIN; I wouldn't post them because I have self control. Whatever you do PLEASE, if not for your own well being at least for your family and the ones that love you; DO NOT LET DR. STEVEN J. SMITH USE YOU AS HIS GUINEA PIG, SEVERELY DAMAGE YOU AND FOR HIM TO GET PAID FOR DOING IT. Yes, I'm in a lot of pain right now from this damaged nerve........as I imagine him peacefully driving home after a long day. 12/20/2015: OVER 8 MONTHS LATER; I STILL HAVE CHRONIC PAIN FROM DR. STEVEN J. SMITH POOR HANDWORK.