Part of the standard of care in-take for any patient in any specialty is a full review of systems (any symptoms you may have for all parts of your body), past medical history, and past surgical history as well as current medications. All this information is important. As a plastic surgeon who only does aesthetic surgery any more, nearly every surgery I do does not have to be done and is rarely urgent. That means I must make sure that any risks I take are as low as possible, unavoidable, and acceptable to a consented patient. An important element of this calculus is having an accurate and complete picture of the patient’s health. If I learn of worrisome issues as we approach a surgery date, the surgery may need to be cancelled. If I don’t, the patient is at unnecessary risk in an outpatient setting. Examples of conditions that patients have failed to mention include coronary artery disease, COPD, sleep apnea, and bleeding disorders. These problems need to be optimized prior to surgery and not stumbled into during or after an operation. Sometimes patients do not list prior aesthetic surgeries as well, particularly on the face. It is not uncommon for me to assess a patient for facial aging only to see blepharoplasty or facelift incisions with no mention in the past medical history. So please remember, your problem is my problem and I don’t want any problems that can be avoided or minimized – don’t you?
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