What separates a good from a less good surgeon ?

Periodicaly Dramatic · December 11, 2015, 02:04:01 PM

Just playing Devil's Advocate, but they are all doctors, being paid good money to do the best they can. What is the difference between an okay surgeon and a really good one ?. Could an ok one, such as those in the UK be 'good enough?'.

Thanks

S

Girl Beyond Doubt · December 11, 2015, 02:05:12 PM

A good one won't sell you procedures just "because they can".

BellaSwan · December 11, 2015, 02:27:23 PM

If you're in the UK take the Eurostar and have surgery with Dr Van Der Dussen. He's a cranio-maxillofacial and aesthetic surgeon with roughly 30 - 40 years of experience. He works in 3 different countries, is on the board of all kinds of facial bone and soft tissue related things in these countries. His experience and qualifications far outweigh those of any other FFS surgeon in the world. He's also an incredibly kind man. Don't settle for some mediocre UK surgeon.

Some surgeons are plastic surgeons who delve in bone work. Obviously, they're not comparable.

Paula1 · December 11, 2015, 02:49:29 PM

Yes he is very good but I know of two of his patients a few years back that went elsewhere to sort out his problems.

So he is not perfect either.

I agree there are no decent surgeons in the UK and the surgeon who did my corrective surgery in October 2014 at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London although delightful proved not to be up to the job hence my going to Facial Team next April.

BellaSwan · December 11, 2015, 02:59:41 PM

Of course not perfect, but we must also keep in mind patient expectations vs what's actually possible. Which complications were these?

BellaSwan · December 11, 2015, 03:01:38 PM

And I was merely illustrating what differentiates a "really good" surgeon from an "OK" one

My point being experience is always a plus and if you're going in for bone surgery why not go with someone who's primary skill is bone?

BellaSwan · December 11, 2015, 03:04:27 PM

But like Paula said, no matter who the surgeon was, complications can arise. Dr VdD does have a revision policy though, so if it's actual complications he will fix it for free.

Paula1 · December 12, 2015, 02:59:03 AM

My apologies but I should not have mentioned these in case the individuals concerned are members or otherwise (being an open forum for the whole world to see).

Best if they come on here and tell their stories.

Quote from: BellaSwan on December 11, 2015, 02:59:41 PM
Of course not perfect, but we must also keep in mind patient expectations vs what's actually possible. Which complications were these?

Paula1 · December 12, 2015, 03:00:39 AM

Agreed and have personally learnt from my own bitter experiences.

Quote from: BellaSwan on December 11, 2015, 03:01:38 PM
And I was merely illustrating what differentiates a "really good" surgeon from an "OK" one My point being experience is always a plus and if you're going in for bone surgery why not go with someone who's primary skill is bone?

AnonyMs · December 12, 2015, 04:47:15 AM

A closely related and really important is question is how do you tell who's better?

I'm sure there's big differences, its the nature of people that some are better than others, but can we tell who's who?

Some people interview their surgeons and go with who they are comfortable with. I personally don't like that because I'm not interested in their personality, and I don't feel capable of evaluating their answers properly.

I favor doing a lot of research, but that's kind of my strong point so I guess I would.

BellaSwan · December 12, 2015, 06:51:40 AM

I think qualifications are important. I don't want someone who's manly a plastic surgeon to reset my forehead or cut bone off my jaw. I want someone who is specifically trained to do so, where the focus of his education has been that.

Periodicaly Dramatic · December 12, 2015, 11:28:41 AM

http://www.facialplasticsurgery.org.uk/procedures/facial-feminisation/results-of-facial-feminisation-surgery This guy seems to offer what I want and is the closest to home, but yet not many people in the UK go there.....

deeiche · December 12, 2015, 03:04:54 PM

at one time he was one of only two surgeons in Europe. he has done lots of surgeries, join Yahoo FFS group if you want more info

Paula1 · December 12, 2015, 03:14:12 PM

Brian Musgrove.

I have seen quite a few of his post-op patients and their surgery results were very conservative

Periodicaly Dramatic · December 13, 2015, 12:28:19 AM

I am a member of that Yahoo Group but have always had 'server' problems, my posts never seemed to be answered and day's later I'd get an email 'not approved by moderator' or something, and they were totally ordinary posts, nothing untoward about them at all... I can only assume a technical problem.....

Paula1 · December 13, 2015, 12:56:56 AM

FFS Support is a total waste of time now since Yahoo wrecked all their groups with the "Neo" format.

Rebecca is the moderator and is very sad at all this because before the change, it was a thriving group.

No more though with a handful of posts each month ...

Susan's Place seems to be the only place to look for FFS information ...

Rebecca polled members about closing down FFS Support and asked people what they thought of her opening a Facebook page !!!!

Quote from: Periodicaly Dramatic on December 13, 2015, 12:28:19 AM
I am a member of that Yahoo Group but have always had 'server' problems, my posts never seemed to be answered and day's later I'd get an email 'not approved by moderator' or something, and they were totally ordinary posts, nothing untoward about them at all... I can only assume a technical problem.....

deeiche · December 13, 2015, 07:10:59 AM

Quote from: Periodicaly Dramatic on December 13, 2015, 12:28:19 AM
I am a member of that Yahoo Group but have always had 'server' problems, my posts never seemed to be answered and day's later I'd get an email 'not approved by moderator' or something, and they were totally ordinary posts, nothing untoward about them at all... I can only assume a technical problem.....

were the posts specific to FFS? if they were then it sounds like Rebecca did not review them in time.

I've wondered how much time she spends on admin functions for the group any more. She started the "what to do with the group thread", but then never did a follow-up.

Periodicaly Dramatic · December 13, 2015, 07:44:16 AM

Yes they were to do with f.f.s., I ain't no troll....

Debra · December 13, 2015, 10:57:17 AM

To the original question, in the most objective criteria, I'd say their results and their qualifications.

Every doc you interview, make sure to ask for results pics. If you can't find any results you like, then why go to that doc?

Also others have pointed out in the forum that http://www.certificationmatters.org is a way of looking up the actual certifications a doctor has.

Outside of the objective matters, it's also important to have the subjective stuff too. I usually interview/consult a few different doctors before I do a procedure and I pick the one that not only seems the most qualified but also clicks well with me in general.

Paula1 · December 13, 2015, 04:20:16 PM

I think that Rebecca has simply lost interest in FFS Support like the rest of us.

Such a pity because it used to be great.

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What separates a good from a less good surgeon ?