Anyone have any experience with Kleinberger or Shih? How did it go?

[CatBlack]

They have virtually no existing portfolio and it makes me, and most of the other women I've spoken to quite nervous.
I would like to know if anyone has experience with them, or maybe even before and afters they may be interested in sharing.

I've still never found someone who has actually had surgery with them, just people who have been to consultations and got skeeved out and bounced.

[Michelle_P]

Well, I know of a Dr Charles Shih, a reconstructive plastic surgeon with Kaiser Permanente (Richmond and MST) who has done some stuff like Type 3 forehead work and related FFS for friends. They seemed happy with the results.

There's a Dr Andrew Kleinberger with Kaiser Walnut Creek and MST, who I know has done some work, but I haven't seen the results yet.  I understand that he trained under Spiegel.  Another friend just had work done and I haven't seen her unwrapped yet.

[keojampamd]

You will be in great hands.  Dr Andrew Kleinberger spent a year long fellowship with Dr. Spiegel which included probably at least 100 FFS patients with performing Type III forehead reconstruction on most patients, jaw contouring, and etc.  This also includes learning all the presurgery care and post surgery after care of FFS patients.  100 cases are enough to learn all the in and outs of surgery and manage any issues that may arise during surgery such as needing to repair the skull with cranial bone grafts or the unexpected encephalocele.  I am not aware of anywhere else in the world where someone can receive such focused intense training in FFS surgery with an experienced professor as Dr. Spiegel who has completed well over 1,000 FFS surgeries. Dr Andrew Kleinberger trained about 4 years after I completed my training with Dr. Spiegel.   I personally worked with Dr Andrew Kleinberger when he was a fellow when I was an attending surgeon at Boston Medical Center.  I would recommend him without hesitation.

[CatBlack]

But do you know anyone who can personally vouch for him as a recipient of his procedures? I would prefer to save for Spiegel (his work is godly imo.) but my insurance won't cover him. I had another person say they went in and spoke with Kleinberger during a consultation and they had said he spoke of only having preformed the surgery himself twice at the time and had no visible portfolio of before and afters to speak of so I feel like the information is conflicting here.

I have no intention of bashing anyone, it's just.. this is a huge major life decision. I feel it would simply be irresponsible to make it lackadaisically and so I'm putting this under the most intense scrutiny I possibly can. Being unable to see before and after work of his is probably the thing that spooks me and most other women out, as the difference is a bit like having a man say "I'm an artist, as you can see by my work." while the other man says "Don't worry I'm an artist. You don't need to see my work."

[marcybautista]

There was a previous topic that wasn't updated but she said it was a happy ending. Until now Im waiting for her story :-) Maybe we should ask an update from her? I also read another woman who had her ffs from Dr Kleinberger and Dr Shih (they're doing the surgery together) and she said it looks good so far.

[CatBlack]

I'm terribly interested in seeing before and after work. I have seen absolutely none of his work. It's driving me crazy. I know most people aren't stealth, so like. They really don't run much a risk of showing how things went imo. XD