PS ever resposible for complications?

[pattipot]

I am having my breast augmentation on Sept 7. I am concerned about complications. My PS has given me a price sheet which is a reduction in cost for each possible complication. Ranging from 500 to 2000. i guess my question, Is the PS ever responsible for the complications? and how do you fight it. Is there anything I should talk to my PS about at my PRE OP Wed?

[caryn]

this is a really good question and the answer is both yes and no. every complication is different, and every complication has different causes. most of them can be error on the ps part, but at the same time could be a result of your own body, anatomy, skin, tissue, muscle, etc.

if your ps actually has a revision chart with prices already drawn up.. he is doing this and showing you this as a way to save his own butt in the long run. he's making you full aware of the complications possible including ones caused by him. by you going forth with your breast augmentation you are kind of agreeing to pay for a revision surgery, whether your complication is surgeon error or caused by your own body.

the fact that he has his own revision chart priced out would make me question how much experience he has with these complications. if he has to repair a lot of his patients, that is a HUGE red flag. i mean he already knows how much money to expect from each repair "just in case."

my ps made me fully aware of all complications possible, but also stated there was no way he would make me pay for a revision surgery, especially for something he had caused. i also made sure he had never caused any serious complications. the most common problem he had (and the worst) was slight asymmetry.

what makes me NOT happy with this "price chart" is that if something was to go wrong and it was CLEARLY surgeon error (like symmastia, misplacement, etc) i should NOT have to pay for the revision. your ps is saying that you should have to pay him extra for something that HE messed up, and that HE should be paying for.

just make sure you double check all HIS complication rates, which one he deals with the most, and worst ones he's had.

if symmastia or bottoming out etc is something he deals with a lot, i would find another surgeon. it seems like he is more interested in his own well being over his patients.

and also, if you have seen the charts and have signed all your paperwork, you are dismissing him from the blame of any complication that could arise.

good luck!! and i hope everything goes ok for you

[CAINAZ]

Great reply Caryn!

[FabBri]

I totally agree with Caryn. The fact that he has a 'complication price sheet' already done up indicates to me that he has had more than a few coplications and needed to have set prices to cover his butt. I asked my PS about how revisons worked with him if there were any complications. He said that he has had to deal with revision surgery so rarely that pricing (if any) is done on a patient-to-patient basis and would be assessed if a problem ever came up.
That's just the way I would read it - maybe your PS is just extra cautious? But I do agree that if he messes up it should be his responsibility to fix it. Seems like it would have to get into a legal thing with him to fix his mistakes since he has his 'price list' up front. I would have an open discussion with him about your expectations from him as a Plastic Surgeon.
Good luck!
Bri

[pattipot]

Thanks so much for your input. this has been extremly helpful. My last question is which complications are almost always PS issues and Which can be either, or. I just want to be fully prepared when i go in and talk to the PS. thanks again.....