Real Informed Consent Matters

I am writing this to warn future patients and help them mentally prepare in ways I was not. While I am satisfied with the physical results of my tummy tuck with Dr. Lyle Back, the pre-operative communication, patient dignity, and post-operative accountability fell severely short.

There was a severe lack of transparency regarding operating room protocols. While generic paperwork given to me the day of surgery briefly mentioned a Foley catheter might be used, it was never discussed with me in person, and I was completely left in the dark about how extensive the surgical scrub boundaries would be on my body (I was exposed and scrubbed from nipple to mid thigh).

Discovering these medical interventions post-surgery without warning caused me immense shock and a severe panic attack. Furthermore, I had my period on the day of surgery and was wearing surgical mesh underwear. No one told me these would be removed; I woke up in the recovery room completely exposed with no underwear or menstrual pad, leaving me deeply embarrassed and vulnerable.When I obtained my medical records and later confronted Dr. Back, his behavior shifted dramatically. Two weeks post-op, I explicitly asked him if I had a catheter, and he evasively told me I "may have had" one.

As the primary surgeon who signs the operative reports, he absolutely knew the answer but chose to downplay my experience. When I asked him to update his pre-op paperwork so future women wouldn’t experience this trauma, he fiercely disputed the need for systemic changes. He is an effective communicator when building rapport before surgery, but he completely lacks the emotional integrity and transparency required when a patient addresses a legitimate care flaw.

This entire situation was completely avoidable; it would have taken less than five minutes of upfront communication to inform me of what would be done to my body. Instead, my autonomy was disregarded, leaving me feeling deeply distressed. While Dr. Back did a decent job on the physical procedure, the lack of informed consent and pre-op transparency completely overshadows the results.

I have completed my immediate post-op visits and am leaving this practice to transition my care elsewhere. If you choose this practice, please be your own advocate and demand a full, written list of every operating room protocol beforehand, as it will not be voluntarily disclosed to you. Look elsewhere for a surgeon who actually respects your body, your dignity, and your boundaries.