2019

Social Media Focus: The tricky prospect of sharing before-and-after images on Instagram

By Karen Horton, MD Monday, December 9, 2019

Instagram is a visual platform, and an ideal one for plastic surgeons to showcase their results. The question remains, however: How you can share your cosmetic and reconstructive results responsibly, ethically and respectfully?

Norwegian association vice president provides international insights

By Yassie Dunn Monday, December 9, 2019

The past year has proved quite prolific for ASPS in terms of developing relationships with numerous plastic surgery societies throughout the world. At Plastic Surgery The Meeting 2019 in San Diego, ASPS signed eight new Memorandums of Understanding, one of which is with Norway.

Working to heal wounds via induced pluripotent stem cells

By Jim Leonardo Sunday, December 1, 2019

The following is part of an ongoing series highlighting The PSF Research Grant Award winners, and research they’re conducting to improve patient safety and develop new technologies for plastic surgeons.

Plastic surgeon held a deep affinity for history

By Paul Snyder Friday, November 22, 2019

A memorial service was held on Nov. 9 for Ronald Taddeo, MD, of Willougby Hills, Ohio, who passed away Oct. 27 at age 85.

Social Media Focus: A growing focus on privacy could change targeted ad usage

By Heather Furnas, MD Friday, November 1, 2019

With its new emphasis on privacy, Facebook is reportedly coming out with a new "clear history" tool, allowing users to erase their stored personal activity information. Without that data, ads can no longer be targeted.

ASPS reviewing new FDA draft guidance on breast-implant labeling

Thursday, October 24, 2019

ASPS is conducting a rigorous review of "Breast Implants – Certain Labeling Recommendations to Improve Patient Communication," a draft guidance released Wednesday by the FDA that centers on manufacturer information accompanying breast implants.

Society leadership discusses breast implant concerns with patients

By Jim Leonardo & Mike Stokes Monday, October 14, 2019

In the wake of increased scrutiny on breast implant safety amid reports of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and concerns surrounding a range of symptoms identified with breast implant illness (BII), plastic surgeons and patient advocates met Sept. 20 in San Diego to share perspectives and find common ground for potential collaboration.

Lessons learned from teaching hand surgery in Thai Nguyen

By Kevin C. Chung, MD, MS Monday, September 23, 2019

Volunteer efforts made by the University of Michigan's hand program in low-resource countries over the past two decades have yielded insights essential to winning the fight to improve the welfare of rural patients around the globe.

Plastic surgery duo's teamwork pays it forward for generations

By Steven Arroyo Monday, September 16, 2019

In July 1979, Jim Sanger, MD, started as a junior resident at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he quickly made friends with a senior resident by the name of Hani Matloub, MD. The two would complete their training within a year of each other, afterward becoming faculty at MCW together.

Vietnam fetes U.S., Aussie plastic surgeons on 50th anniversary of center

By Jim Leonardo Friday, September 6, 2019

At the height of the Vietnam war in 1969, New York plastic surgeon Arthur Barsky Jr., MD, and attorney Thomas Miller organized a medical-relief effort to treat South Vietnamese children who sustained injuries as a result of the fighting in the region.

Social Media Focus: The importance of having patient advocates in plastic surgery

By Minas Chrysopoulo, MD, & Courtney Floyd Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Patient advocates are an increasingly crucial part of spreading evidence-based information – a development that’s helping to effect positive change throughout the field of plastic surgery, and social media channels provide an avenue for the information to reach countless patients quickly.

I. Kelman Cohen, MD, 1935-2019: Paying tribute to a pioneer, mentor and friend

By Bruce Mast, MD Monday, September 2, 2019

June 9 was another sad day for plastic surgery, when a pioneer and leader in our field, I. Kelman “Kel” Cohen, MD, passed away at age 84.

ADM Update: The use of acellular dermal matrices (ADMs)

Monday, August 26, 2019

The FDA says it had never approved any surgical mesh device, whether synthetic, animal collagen derived or human collagen derived, for use in breast surgery.

Avalanche claims life of ASPS member in India

By Glenn Lyle, MD Monday, July 29, 2019

Anthony Sudekum, MD, O’Fallon, Mo., died at the age of 63, on or around May 26, while attempting to climb Nanda Devi East – the second-tallest peak in the Indian Himalayan range.

Allergan announces worldwide withdrawal of Biocell textured implants

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Allergan announced this morning that it is withdrawing its Biocell textured breast implants and tissue expanders.

Social Media Focus: Finding your own voice (and amplifying it) on social media

By Karen Horton, MD Monday, July 8, 2019

Flourishing at social media can be a daunting prospect, particularly for those of us who have been in practice for a while (and who are not Millennials). For plastic surgeons who want to be successful at social media but aren’t sure how or where to start, some simple self-reflection can best determine how to find your voice.

Remembering Joseph S. Gruss, MB, BCh

By Paul Snyder and Jim Leonardo Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Friends and colleagues are mourning the passing of ASPS member Joseph Gruss, MB, BCh, who passed away on June 26 after battling pancreatic cancer.

Carl Hartrampf, MD, 1932-2019: Remembering a giant who helped the specialty move forward

By Bruce Mast, MD | PSN Associate Editor Monday, July 1, 2019

On June 20, Carl Hartrampf Jr., MD, Atlanta, passed away. Although a time like this is one of great sadness, it's also a time to rejoice for a life filled with accomplishment and meaning. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity for reflection and thought about the many giants of our field and the impact they've had.

Urgent warning to surgeons performing fat grafting to the buttocks

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

ASPS, ASAPS, ISAPS, ISPRES and IFATS (Plastic Surgery Societies) are extremely concerned about the mortalities associated with gluteal fat grafting (BBL) procedures that continue to be reported in the United States and other countries.

Lab opens doors to anatomical education, global collaboration

By Paul Snyder Monday, June 10, 2019

For many years, L. Scott Levin, MD, Philadelphia, says he saw the Human Tissue Laboratory – which he first built at Duke University in 1995 and then built at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 – as the ultimate training tool for microsurgery Fellows, hand Fellows and plastic surgery residents.

Southeast Australia's first female plastic surgeon passes

By Richard Hamilton, MD Monday, June 3, 2019

Julie Lawrence, MD, the first female plastic surgeon in Adelaide, passed away May 25 at age 61.

Social Media Focus: How to measure the return on your efforts

By Heather Furnas, MD Monday, June 3, 2019

Why are you on social media? You can't measure your success with it until you answer that question. If you are using social media for professional reasons, you should be tracking your goals, your costs and your return on that investment.

FDA announces new initiatives on breast implant safety

Thursday, May 2, 2019

The FDA has announced new efforts to improve patient access to information about breast implants, and identified the National Breast Implant Registry and PROFILE as keys to collecting real-world data and evidence.

Social Media Focus: Consider this before you share your post

By Anu Bajaj, MD Tuesday, April 23, 2019

As Facebook and Instagram increasingly become the means through which we communicate, more traditional means of advertising have less relevance. Nevertheless, as physicians, we remain unique. Not only do we want to grow our practices and educate potential patients, we also have to maintain a level of professionalism appropriate for a physician.

Editor's Message: Sharing the accurate story of #PlasticSurgery through #SoMe

By Summer Hanson, MD, PhD | PSN Associate Editor Tuesday, April 23, 2019

As a result of more awareness in the surgeon community, evidence-based sharing and engagement of ASPS members will improve the quality of information that's readily available through multiple media outlets. The next step will be to make sure our community is engaging the public to share our particular story – rather than adjacent activities.

Striving to educate and foster a passion for plastic surgery in others

By Keith Loria Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Michael Bentz, MD, cannot recall a time when he wanted to be anything but a doctor. With a father who was a physician and a mother who was a nurse, he had an early introduction to medicine and that exposure showed him both the advantages and the challenges that came with being involved in a medical practice.

Years of collaboration, months of preparation boost ASPS at FDA hearings

By Paul Snyder Monday, April 22, 2019

In both invited testimony and during open public comment periods, the FDA's General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel heard from nearly 40 ASPS member surgeons on Monday and Tuesday.

FDA's General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel stresses breast implant safety, importance of the NBIR, and patient engagement during March 25-26 hearing

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

In both invited testimony and during open public comment periods, the FDA's General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel heard from nearly 40 ASPS member surgeons on Monday and Tuesday.

Planning the key to highly complicated – and successful – face transplant

By Jim Leonardo Sunday, March 3, 2019

Despite being nearly 2,800 miles apart and with nearly the entire continental United States between them, ASPS members Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, DDS, New York, and Lee L.Q. Pu, MD, MHS, Sacramento, Calif., worked toward the same goal in completing one of the most advanced facial transplantation procedures ever performed, on Cameron Underwood of northern California.

Social Media Focus: How often (and when) should you post?

By Josef Hadeed, MD Saturday, March 2, 2019

The optimal time to post on each social media platform varies based on the network. Additionally, the frequency with which you should post differs between platforms. There are many online tools available that can help guide you as to when you should be posting content.

The PSF past president helps young author find 'A Brave Face'

By Kendra Y. Mims Saturday, March 2, 2019

In 2003, 19-month-old Teeba Furat Marlowe was riding with her family in the Diyala Province of Iraq when an insurgent bomb struck their vehicle.

A young mother's view: Residency, reproduction and refrigerators

By Ashley Amalfi, MD Friday, March 1, 2019

Residency is hard, but life is sometimes harder. It's clear that more consideration needs to be made to the needs of new and expectant families.

Forget Paris: Plastic surgeon forges a lasting legacy in Hershey, Pa.

By Paul Snyder Friday, March 1, 2019

Donald Mackay, MD, DDS, remembers that when he and his wife, Susan, arrived in Hershey, Pa., from South Africa in 1988, his first thought was to apologize.

Strengthening a support network for plastic surgeons starting a family

By Debra Bourne, MD Friday, March 1, 2019

The number of women entering our field now represents 38.1 percent of residents. We train during our childbearing years, and as I approached advanced maternal age, the implications of starting a family during residency became very real.

Remembering ASPS member Deepak Narayan, MD

By Joseph Shin, MD, Cecelia Smith and John Persing, MD Monday, February 25, 2019

Deepak Narayan, MD, a respected ASPS member, committed his life to advancing our collective understanding and the treatment of worldwide melanoma.

Spring Meeting pulls multiple programs together in Las Vegas

By ASPS Staff Friday, February 1, 2019

Las Vegas will again provide the backdrop for ASPS in March with a unique Spring Meeting that pools multiple educational resources for members and office staff in one location, maximizing value for attendees.

Medical Board of California: ABCS is not equivalent to ABMS board

By Patrick Hermes, MS Tuesday, January 8, 2019

It took less than 30 seconds for years of deliberation and debate to come to an end in California, as the Medical Board of California (MBC) denied – by unanimous vote – the American Board of Cosmetic Surgeons’ (ABCS) request to advertise as "board-certified" cosmetic surgeons.

Social Media Focus: Determining the right kind of content for your followers

By Kyle Diller Thursday, January 3, 2019

For plastic surgeons, social media is a unique marriage of education, marketing and patient acquisition. In just one post, you can educate prospective patients on the importance of choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon – while simultaneously bringing them inside the practice and helping them get to know you before they even come in for a consultation.

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