Who is responsible if things go wrong post-op?

[Janus]

This may be a lame FNG question but I am trying to plot out worst case scenarios as I prepare for my HT. I am going with Feller, Bernstein, or Dorin depending on how the January consults go so I have done some homework.

 

Hypothetically, if things go wrong post transplant surgery (e.g. massive infection, all of my hair falls out, debiliting illness brought on by surgery, hospitalization, etc), who foots the bill? I am speaking in the context that I would follow all post-op directions to the letter and do everything I am supposed to do correctly. Is the doctor responsible in any way, shape, or form OR am I am on my own (hoping my HMO will cover it)?

 

Does anyone have any experience with, or knowledge of, really, really bad surgery related problems and what the ultimate resolutions were?

[fixing-it]

your hmo would have to cover it if it is health related no matter how ie. accident,natural causes etc. Try and take it easy your choosing from great docs.

[MrJobi]

Good question but I am no lawyer. I would imagine if it is a "mistake" on the docs side they would be but they do have you sign a waiver of some sort. HT is a minor surgery so the chances for a disaster is minimal. Just follow directions and you should be fine.. I hd 3 of them without any issues.

[bverotti]

Example of patients error :

 

I know of 2 cases where patient where responsible for less regrowth.

 

1. Hit the head while getting in the car immediately after surgery

 

2. Hit the crown on a low level ceiling 1 day after surgery.

 

Both patient lost some grafts immediately. It was not possible to place them again because they where contaminated and of course long dried out.

 

Althoug both patient lost grafts it did not affect the result in a visible way.

[hairthere]

You will be signing a waiver before your surgery which will protect your chosen doctor from any liability. You or your insurance will be responsible for any medical bills.

[hairthere]

P.S. If your growth is negligible, and your surgeon agrees things went horribly wrong, a reputable doc may take mercy and work with you to get things right. But there are no guarantees. Make sure you read the waiver (get it in advance if you're that concerned as you will likely not read through it day of surgery) and if you can't live with it, walk away.

[TheHairLossCure]

First, you should follow the post-op instructions, as you said. Second, don't cut or burn the scalp. I know that that sounds like a silly thing to have to say, but some guys might not think of UV damage affectting growth, etc.

 

As far as bills... Your surgeon is probably not going to charge you for basic follow-up stuff (removing sutures/staples, check ups, etc.).

 

If you have reasonable concerns about the results, most top clinics address these even if they are unrelated to the surgery/technique. It is only right to take care of patients and, furthermore, from a business standpoint, good patient care means more referrals.

 

If you get very sick as a result of the surgery (which is unlikely!!), it obviously helps if you have a primary care doctor and health insurance. Just remember that signing a consent form is not signing away your rights. If you become ill due to negligence (I believe) you can pursue the issue legally. BTW, I am not an attorney so anybody who is can correct me here. Anyhow, if you are going to a good clinic, do not worry too much about the what-ifs. Like I said, becoming ill from a HT, while possible, is far fetched.

 

I believe all the docs you mentioned are ethical and good at what they do! Don't worry. Just be sensible with post-op stuff.

[Aquarius]

MRJB- Will you PUUlease stop refering to this as minor surgery before you gain my attention. You are doing a severe misservice to newbees that believe it.

If you would like me to download grafic pictures everytime you slap someone on the back and say "no worries" . I will.

Why don't you preface that with " IMO " followed by I was lucky and there are NO GAURANTEEs (sp ) .

[nobuzz4me]

Good question,

 

It sounds like you have chosen three great Docs which right there minimizes your risk greatly. Any surgery has its risks but if you follow your post op instructions and take it easy for a few weeks, your chances for a nice recovery are very good.

 

Any post op infection is easy to control with antibiotics.

[hairthere]

Aquarius, I agree, an HT is no walk in the park, but it's also not open heart surgery, so in the grand scheme of things, it is a relatively minor surgery.

[notgoing2gobald]

I have always wondered if ANY of the top coalition docs have had any serious complications---like grafts not taking and not growing in. You hear about this stuff from old plug work, but Im curious if it has EVER happened with a top doc. Anybody know? I wonder if there is even some slight possibility that you could get a low yield of growth even with a top notch doc and what would cause it...

[Aquarius]

You are correct hairthere. Unfortunately it can be even worse in unqualified hands.. if you can believe it.

For all it's worth you probably will not get botched if you are here.

Also is it worth the risk ?

Even the greatest doctor on the planet in this field has some ,albiet minor, complications now and then I would say 1 in ten.

Take the majority in the field and it's obverse.

The blanket statements are irresponsible and I fire back. Unless things fail and those that encouraged this MINOR life altering surgery start writing checks or shut thier pieholes.

[the B spot]

The answer the question is Yes-- even the BEST docs have poor growth.

 

It happens infrequently(at least at SMG) but it does happen.

 

It is difficult to put a finger on it but 1 in ten is not correct, maybe 1 in 100-150(???) and cases with no growth are even more infrequent.

 

What sets the best clincs apart is the willingness to do whatever it takes to make the customer happy.

 

Some people have poor scarring--just because, some people have poor growth just because---at top clinics who produce great results time after time who follow the same surgical protocols EVERY time it is hard to say that cutting grafts, implanting grafts, or strip removal is the cause.

 

It is something that must be considered when doing any elective surgery.

 

Anyway, this is not an "alarming" issue as long as you do research and the BIGGEST reason the same docs get mention, again and again and again and again.

 

Take Care,

Jason

[notgoing2gobald]

Bspot,

 

so poor yield rates do occur and there is really no rhyme or reason as to why? You mentioned some patients have poor scarring; are you referring to people who had scarring from a previous surgery or just from their first with you guys?

 

what would be considered one of these "poor growth" occurencess from a top notch doc: 60-70% yield? I can't imagine it falling under 50%?

 

Although it is great that the top notch docs are willing to fix it, all of the grafts that did NOT grow were wasted. What happens they just die and do not grow in?

 

This is concerning. Is it really a material significant risk?

[thanatopsis_awry]

From what I understand the scarring of an individual is dependannt on the tecniques used by the actual doctors, how safe/bold the patient is in the few months after his HT regarding putting strain on the area, and, finally, innate physiological charachteristics that can't be controlled. The first two, perhaps the most important, can be controlled.

 

I also can't imagine how depressed, and livid, I'd be if I got some megasession; the grafts didn't grow; and I basically just squandered half of the most precious substance on earth -- my donor.

[notgoing2gobald]

that is what Im worried about: wasting donor hair.

 

Bspot said even the top notch docs who are using the same techniques every time for protocol STILL get cases of low yield or poor growth.

 

I just wonder what causes it? How low is "low yield"?...because that would SUCK if you ended up being THAT guy...

 

and all of those donor grafts are just completely wasted in the abyss of your balding scalp?

[thanatopsis_awry]

*shudder* Indeed, winning that anti-lottery would be unreal horrible.....but, I guess it is just an immutable thing that there will be cases like that; and if you go to an elite doc you have the fewest balls in the "lotto machine"....

 

Also it was said that there are cases where there isn't just "low yield", but virtually NO yield.....I would hope something like that goes far beyond 1 in ___hundred and is more like 1 in 100k.

[notgoing2gobald]

yes that is one circumstance in which I would like less balls...

 

if there was EVER a case of a coalition doc with "NO GROWTH" I thought I would know about it, as it would surely be a Horror Hall of Famer?...

 

any body no of such a case?

 

I don't know what would cause such a thing...

 

I find this hard to believe as there are so many photo albums on here...

[Aquarius]

Really B ? Well put my Kids, house, dog, and everything I own on SMG to win cuz da last time I spoke with him it was 1 in 10. Hope that doesn't inpede you or making f'ing foolish statements ... Bro.

Check w/ da man (Dr, S or edit)Cuz I got a wipping hardon for dumbassed statements.

Will ya give me 100 to one that I'm right.,?

 

Not trying to hard to ebonicly h9ifreakin sterical A ;

[John_in_NC]

Originally posted by hairthere:

You will be signing a waiver before your surgery which will protect your chosen doctor from any liability.

 

I doubt it. If this was the case surgeons would never get sued. Signing a contract does make it legal...

[notgoing2gobald]

I think this has become a great thread, but I seriously don't identify with the initial premise with which it was asked. In all of my research I have NEVER found any of the worries that the initial poster of this thread listed become realities from a coalition doc (i.e. all of his hair fall out, infection, etc...) Unless you live far from the ht doc your having surgery with you will go in for a check up and they will look for infection. If you have it they will adress it and I don't think all of your hair will fall out...

 

I know there a MILLION horror stories out there, but how many are there from coalition docs?

 

If they are out there (even one of them) then I want to know about it and Im sure every one else on this forum does too..

 

so if you have 'em, show em...

[thanatopsis_awry]

The few people who know I'm going in for an HT are all quite skeptical, and the one question they ask ad infinitum is "What is the success rate?".....I have been under the impression that as a patient w/ no prior procedures or scalp abnormalities that my likelyhood of a successful HT is high enough where I can confidently say that is high enough where I don't have to worry about it. TBH, when people have aksed me I have been saying "virtually assured".

 

I guess success is a somewhat ambiguous term. But, a "lower yield", that while not perfect, that doesnt actually make an appreciable aesthetic impact is a moderately low risk that most would accept.

[notgoing2gobald]

I would like to see ALL of the results from coalition docs on this forum of the so called "poor growth rates"...

 

I would like to know what exactly constitutes a poor growth rate. From my research EVERYONE from the doc I want to go to (Dr. Hasson) has said they look better AFTER the ht. Some of course were somewhat dissapointed and said that they had unrealistic expectations going into it and they had very fine straight hair...but none the less they all said they looked better post plant.

 

Never heard of any of Dr. H's patients saying they looked worse afterwards...

 

I would REALLY like to know how often these poor growth rates occur and what precisely are considered poor.

[thanatopsis_awry]

I don't think any coalition patient in this era will receive a HT that will induce a negative effect on their hair....it is just a matter of how successful and w/ the coalition docs I think the primary factor that may be the most volitile is a poor growth rate....I'm curious too what this rate of occurrence is, what % is considered poor, and how much it has to do with the doc himself.

[Aquarius]

I think your synopsis may be awry