Surgeon warns against surgical tourism

Date: 1/29/2016

LONGMEADOW – Aesthetic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, P.C., a plastic surgery and non-invasive practice serving western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, is urging individuals interested in plastic surgery procedures to seek information and care from surgeons like Dr. Glen Brooks, who are qualified, trained and properly certified and experienced.

Brooks is a board-certified plastic surgeon and leader in the field of aesthetic surgery who has expressed concerns over a growing trend known as “surgical tourism,” in which patients’ travel abroad in search of plastic surgery at reduced costs.

“Traveling to another country in search of medical care is not in itself a new trend, as historically people have traveled to wealthier countries in search of medical expertise and technology, often at considerable expense,” Brooks said. “Today however, the opposite is happening: tourists are traveling from wealthy countries with qualified medical professionals like the United States to developing countries, largely motivated by the lower costs of procedures and feedback by friends or family who recommend a surgeon abroad.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 750,000 U.S. residents travel abroad for care each year, often because treatment is cheaper outside the U.S. Surgical tourism destinations include: the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Mexico, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina and Costa Rica. The most common procedures that people undergo on surgical tourism trips include cosmetic surgery, dentistry and heart surgery. The drawback to traveling abroad for surgical procedures is that it is difficult to evaluate the credentials of practitioners as well as the accreditation of surgical facilities outside the U.S., and medical devices and products used in other countries may not meet the standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Brooks recommends patients consider the potential complications, unsatisfactory results and health risks that could result from surgical tourism. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has outlined five risks that patients face when traveling abroad for surgery:
• Cosmetic surgery is real surgery and has some risks. Every surgery, including cosmetic surgery, has risks, which may increase during vacation-related plastic surgery.
• Vacation-related activities may compromise your health after having a procedure. While cosmetic surgery trips are marketed as vacations, some vacation activities should be avoided in order to ensure proper healing and reduce the risk of complications.
• Travel plus surgery significantly increases the risk of complications. Long flights or surgery can increase the potential risk of developing pulmonary embolism or blood clots.
• You may not be legally protected in the U.S. There are no U.S. laws that protect patients or mandate the training and qualifications of physicians who perform surgery outside the U.S. There may be no legal recourse if surgical negligence occurs.
• Bargain surgery may not be a bargain. Patients may incur additional costs for correctional surgeries and/or complications that may total more than the cost of the initial operation if originally performed in the U.S.

“What many surgical tourism patients fail to consider is that follow-up care may be limited if the surgery was performed outside the U.S.,” Brooks said. “Patients could return from overseas procedures with infections that can have serious consequences. By choosing a local board-certified plastic surgeon, patients reduce their risk of complications and associated costs, and increase their quality of care.”

Brooks sees patients and performs procedures at several local hospitals including Baystate Medical Center and Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield and Holyoke Hospital in Holyoke.

Additionally, Brooks is active in the surgical community at large including memberships in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, New England Society of Plastic Surgery and the Massachusetts Society of Plastic Surgeons (past president, 2007). Every patient at Aesthetic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery receives a full consultation to discuss all options available. To find out more about specific options, request a consultation with Brooks by calling 565-4400 or schedule one online, drglenbrooks.com.