I was contacted by a patient’s husband today by e-mail and asked, even though his wife was sick, if she could still have a breast augmentation. His wife suffered from a serious brain disease but had always wanted larger breasts for much of her adult life. Is doing the requested procedure responsible plastic surgery? Is it a humanitarian act….or the fulfillment of a frivolous selfish desire that may jeopardize her medically?
In theory, as long as both patients and husband consent to the procedure and are appraised of the risks involved, this would not be reckless plastic surgery. But what if she developed a complication during the procedure or as a result thereof and died? Would this have been a responsible thing to do? Is this risk, or any risk in an already ill patient, worth it for a non-medically necessary cosmetic procedure?
I don’t have a clear cut answer. I can make an argument on either side of the issue. I would be intrigued to hear from others. But there is a simple answer and is an old surgical axiom…if you have to think about whether doing the surgery is the right thing, then you maybe you shouldn’t.
Dr Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana