MedNetBrazil - Medical Concierge Services

Gluteus The ideal gluteus model was also highlighted during Dr. Novaes’ presentation, using fat grafting as the technique for patients who are seeking a beautiful backside. “In Brazil, women are known for their beauty and, certainly, for having beautiful buttocks. Because of this, we created an ideal gluteus model and showed it during the Congress,” says Dr. Novaes. He explains that the ideal gluteus is one that has a balance of the upper, medium, lower and side parts, in addition to adequate volume and projection, absence of flaccidity and fat excess in the regions nearby. “It is also important to take into consideration the patient’s age. Very few surgeons work with this kind of approach, and because of this there has been a great interest in the subject.”Fat grafting, according to the doctor, is based on the insertion of fat in the gluteus region. “This fat can be removed during lipoabdominoplasty and inserted during the same surgery.” 

14th International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery - Berlin Ideal gluteus model and revolutionary abdominoplasty technique refined by Brazilian plastic surgeon are highlighted at the 14th International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery – Berlin. The fast recovery and drastic reduction in complications such as seromas, bruising and necrosis, observed in patients who underwent lipoabdominoplasty caught the attention, once again, of the specialized plastic surgery medical community that attended the 14th International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery in Berlin last month (July 2007). The revolutionary technique, originally developed in 2000, was the subject of the presentation by the Brazilian doctor Wilson Novaes Matos Jr. (member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).  He began refining this abdominal plastic surgery method based on the world trend among the scientific community of performing a treatment that reduced post- operative complications. In order to accomplish this, he started using more modern liposuction procedures instead of using the scalpel.  “After meticulously studying the abdominal vascularization, we created a safe procedure to treat muscular flaccidity with the goal of preserving the blood vessels from the abdominal region, dramatically reducing the possible occurrence of seroma, bruising and necrosis,” says Dr. Novaes.  “During these almost 10 years of routine usage, we have observed its countless advantages and the dramatic improvement of results, therefore recommending it to all patients that need abdominal treatment, including women who have had children and formerly obese patients.  The preservation of the anatomic structures like veins, arteries and lymphatic vessels is the secret to the technique and the basis of the work demonstrated”.According to the specialist, who was the first plastic surgeon in the world to perform the complete lipoabdominoplasty (including musculature treatment), another important factor is that, following this modern philosophy, the patient experiences a much faster recovery period in comparison to the traditional abdominoplasty method. “Approximately 15 days after the surgery, the patient can go back to his professional activities. The patient experiences no pain”.The technique was published by the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, official scientific journal of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). International interest in this method began in 2001. “The national and international demonstration of this type of procedure is of utmost importance because it allows other plastic surgeons the opportunity to use the latest method, and provide the benefits of  such excellent results in body contouring surgery”, says Dr. Novaes. “I have been noticing that various surgeons from Brazil and other countries have been using the technique and, during this congress, have already declared their agreement with its countless advantages”. Lipoabdominoplasty has been the subject of countless national and international medical events, and has been presented by Dr. Novaes at the World IPRAS Congress in Sidney, Australia (2003); ASAPS, in Vancouver, Canada (2004); New Orleans, United States (2005); Vienna, Austria (2005), FILACP Congress, in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2006); São Paulo (2002); Bahia (2003); Florianópolis (2004); Belo Horizonte (2005).

14th International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery - Berlin Ideal gluteus model and revolutionary abdominoplasty technique refined by Brazilian plastic surgeon are highlighted at the 14th International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery – Berlin. The fast recovery and drastic reduction in complications such as seromas, bruising and necrosis, observed in patients who underwent lipoabdominoplasty caught the attention, once again, of the specialized plastic surgery medical community that attended the 14th International Congress of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery in Berlin last month (July 2007). The revolutionary technique, originally developed in 2000, was the subject of the presentation by the Brazilian doctor Wilson Novaes Matos Jr. (member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).  He began refining this abdominal plastic surgery method based on the world trend among the scientific community of performing a treatment that reduced post- operative complications. In order to accomplish this, he started using more modern liposuction procedures instead of using the scalpel.  “After meticulously studying the abdominal vascularization, we created a safe procedure to treat muscular flaccidity with the goal of preserving the blood vessels from the abdominal region, dramatically reducing the possible occurrence of seroma, bruising and necrosis,” says Dr. Novaes.  “During these almost 10 years of routine usage, we have observed its countless advantages and the dramatic improvement of results, therefore recommending it to all patients that need abdominal treatment, including women who have had children and formerly obese patients.  The preservation of the anatomic structures like veins, arteries and lymphatic vessels is the secret to the technique and the basis of the work demonstrated”.According to the specialist, who was the first plastic surgeon in the world to perform the complete lipoabdominoplasty (including musculature treatment), another important factor is that, following this modern philosophy, the patient experiences a much faster recovery period in comparison to the traditional abdominoplasty method. “Approximately 15 days after the surgery, the patient can go back to his professional activities. The patient experiences no pain”.The technique was published by the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, official scientific journal of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). International interest in this method began in 2001. “The national and international demonstration of this type of procedure is of utmost importance because it allows other plastic surgeons the opportunity to use the latest method, and provide the benefits of  such excellent results in body contouring surgery”, says Dr. Novaes. “I have been noticing that various surgeons from Brazil and other countries have been using the technique and, during this congress, have already declared their agreement with its countless advantages”. Lipoabdominoplasty has been the subject of countless national and international medical events, and has been presented by Dr. Novaes at the World IPRAS Congress in Sidney, Australia (2003); ASAPS, in Vancouver, Canada (2004); New Orleans, United States (2005); Vienna, Austria (2005), FILACP Congress, in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2006); São Paulo (2002); Bahia (2003); Florianópolis (2004); Belo Horizonte (2005). Gluteus The ideal gluteus model was also highlighted during Dr. Novaes’ presentation, using fat grafting as the technique for patients who are seeking a beautiful backside. “In Brazil, women are known for their beauty and, certainly, for having beautiful buttocks. Because of this, we created an ideal gluteus model and showed it during the Congress,” says Dr. Novaes. He explains that the ideal gluteus is one that has a balance of the upper, medium, lower and side parts, in addition to adequate volume and projection, absence of flaccidity and fat excess in the regions nearby. “It is also important to take into consideration the patient’s age. Very few surgeons work with this kind of approach, and because of this there has been a great interest in the subject.”Fat grafting, according to the doctor, is based on the insertion of fat in the gluteus region. “This fat can be removed during lipoabdominoplasty and inserted during the same surgery.”

That Bloomberg article is raising some eyebrows I guess, and some HOPES of USA Plastic Surgeons/Clinics hoping this will hamper the flow of their American patients to Brazil for World Class plastic surgery.  A blog by the Plastic Surgery Institute of California states: (My response to his blog follows…)

“Bloomberg just reported the newest addition to the list of countries cracking down on unethical and hazy cosmetic surgery standards- Brazil. This move by the Federal Medical Council seeks to dispel relations between Brazil’s plastic surgeons and the lending offices, stating the latter as against medical ethics and exposing patients to serious risks.

This move will critically hamper Brazil’s tourist industry and more importantly the medical tourism sector. Due to the inexpensive plastic surgery rates in this part of the world, Brazil has made itself a haven for cosmetic surgery patients.

Breast augmentations and operations that would usually cost a lot in the U.S. are the prime drawers of medical tourists to this country. The lending offices that proliferated as a supplement to this industry offered patients elaborate and attractive offers and low interest rates.

Plastic surgery practices elsewhere in the world are undergoing a similar transformation. While to an extent the questions raised about standards and ethical issues in plastic surgery are commendable, the repercussions on the average man or woman’s accessibility to cosmetic surgery could be threatened.

It’s a difficult debate and whatever the conclusion, medical boards, patients and cosmetic surgeons will not settle without a fight.” 

MY MEDNETBRAZIL RESPONSE:

Hello PSI,  I don’t think you read the article to which you refer very well, or perhaps just don’t understand the Brazilian CRM’s motive behind this ban. Your statement that this will hamper Brazil’s Medical Tourism industry is really without merit.  These finance and lending companies are for BRAZILIANS, not Americans and the very problem is that they were NOT offering low interest rates, although the monthly payments - called “parcelados” in Brazil - for the lower income Brazilian were attractive.  The other problem is that a Brazilian patient doesn’t always practice the due diligence perhaps that we Americans do and would pick a finance company FIRST with a payment plan they could afford and the finance company would direct them to a surgeon that they were aligned with, disencouraging, if you will, the high value that the CRM and most Brazilian surgeons place on the relationship with their patient.  

I have worked with Brazil’s plastic surgeons and other surgeons of various specialties for almost six years and found overall, their bedside manner and concern for ethics and aesthetics to be on an absolutely superior level to what most patients experience stateside.  Brazil is not haven due to the lower prices, but to their skill and expertise in the science of Plastic Surgery which started back in the 50’s with Ivo Pitanguy, father of the modern day breast lift and welcoming foreign patients to this day!  Your own website would not be allowed in Brazil by CRM standards, B&A pics are not allowed (they could be fake or not the surgeon’s own work), Special promos, certain kinds of marketing and “discounts” are frowned upon, etc.  Quite the contrary, they take what they do and the reputation of the “Plastic Surgery Capital of the World” very seriously and have no intention of jeopardizing it.  90% of the time, techniques that are being marketed as “New” here in the USA, are techniques that have been used by Brazilian plastic surgeons for YEARS!  And the technique has either already proven itself or has been evolved or even decided it was not viable and abandoned.

Take for example, the breast augmentation surgery you are encouraging patients to have done with you…  How many cohesive gel implants have your surgeons placed since they were approved for use in the USA recently?  50? 100?  200?  These implants have been in use in Brazil for more than 6 years and so Brazilian surgeons already have placed THOUSANDS of these implants and already know their quirks, etc.  And it STILL costs less for this experience and expertise in Brazil.  That’s called VALUE and BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!  and that’s why I love what we do! 

Blessings,

Christi deMoraes, BA, CMC

President and Founder, MedNetBrazil Concierge Services, Inc.

 This blog contains some excerpts from an article that appeared online in the Orlando Sentinel, and although it talks about choosing a hospital stateside, it illustrates the importance of the APPROPRIATE hospital for your particular procedure.  With so much talk in Medical Tourism now about using “Accredited” hospitals, and that is a good thing, bottom line, appropriateness needs to be determined, and MedNet Brazil has been doing just that for our patients in Brazil for many years now.

“It’s not unusual for consumers to spend weeks of research before choosing a car, an appliance or a vacation package.

But a hospital?

Grading hospitals is considerably more complicated than grading a civics test, however. And, as Loeb puts it, “If I have a kidney stone, I don’t care about data on heart attacks or pneumonia.”

Dr. John Guarneri, president of the medical staff at Florida Hospital, said patients should consult the consumer sites on hospitals but not rely on them alone. The data may be reliable, he said, but it’s usually at least a year or two old.

The best source of information is your doctor, Guarneri said. “If I was having surgery, I’d want to do it where my doctor is most comfortable, where my doctor will perform best.”

But what if you learn from a consumer site that the hospital your doctor likes has a high level of staph infections? Talk to your doctor about it, Guarneri said, and if you’re not satisfied with the answer, consider another doctor.

Trusted relatives and friends with experience at the hospitals you’re considering are also good sources of information, he added.

–>  Again, this is where MedNetBrazil can assist you and be your advocate.

“…. Florida, which revamped its state site in November, is already looking to add hospitals’ readmission rates in the coming weeks. That’s an important measure, because readmissions are often the result of either substandard initial care or poor discharge instructions. (Or worse yet, NO post discharge structure of medical care like WE provide for you!)

But no matter how good or comprehensive, outside assessments of hospitals are no guarantee of an individual’s experience, cautioned Loeb of The Joint Commission.

“In any given day in any given hospital, you can get very good or very bad care,” Loeb said.

Use the consumer Web sites even if you don’t have a choice of hospitals, he advises, because they will arm you with information that will make you a smarter patient and consumer once you’re admitted. But don’t let even a glowing report lull you into passivity.

He gives two pieces of advice: If possible, have a trusted relative or friend (MedNetBrazil)  with you at the hospital to act as your advocate. And never be shy about speaking up.

“People come into hospitals and make the assumption everything will happen as it’s supposed to,” Loeb said. “But it’s a human endeavor — mistakes happen.” Link:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/consumer/orl-hospitals1508apr15,0,3377169.story

 BRAZILIAN SURGERY LOAN COMPANIES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE NEEDING FINANCING FOR PLASTICS

In a move that threatens Brazil’s status as a world center for cosmetic surgery, the Federal Medical Council last month banned ties between doctors and lending firms that help people pay for the operations. The council cited interest rates as high as 55 percent that almost double the cost of procedures. The group’s ruling has the effect of law. Doctors who continue to do business with the financial agencies will lose their medical licenses, D’Avila said. The council isn’t aware of injuries caused by the arrangements and acted “to prevent any tragedies,” he said. SECOND ONLY TO U.S. Plastic surgery, a privilege of wealthy Brazilians until the late 1980s, has grown to a $4 billion business from about $1.5 billion in 2003, according to Brazil’s Plastic Surgery Society in Sao Paulo. Brazil ranks second only to the U.S., where $13 billion was spent on cosmetic procedures last year, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Los Alamitos, California. Brazil, with a population of 190 million, has almost 4,100 registered plastic surgeons, compared with 5,000 in the U.S., which has a population of 301 million.

For the whole article, see:  http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aZkXTF.sbA50&refer=latin_america

An excerpt from a Press Release out of London following a survey of attendees of the World Health Tourism Congress in Spain that just ended….  Here is the full link to read: www.responsesource.com/releases

Over fifty percent growth in medical tourism predicted over the next two years

The Health Tourism Climate Survey 2008, conducted at the weekend’s World Health Tourism Congress, in Marbella, Spain (5-6 April) on behalf of Treatment Abroad reveals that many professionals working in the medical tourism industry believe that the next twelve months will again see a large increase in the numbers of people travelling abroad for medical treatment.

Congress attendees who completed the survey provided a picture of the current market, with predictions of future growth, trends, challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

Respondents ranked the expertise of the doctor/dentist (84%), clinical results (68%) and infection rates (56%) as the most important factors for patients when choosing facilities and providers abroad. Low cost of treatment was much lower down the list.

The delegates at the World Health Tourism Congress from a cross section of the health tourism industry and represent health tourism agencies, clinics and hospitals from all over the world, including Hungary, Brazil, and the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Bahrain and many European countries

Keith Pollard of Treatment Abroad says: “This survey confirms that this is a rapidly growing and highly competitive market. Patient demand for the best medical treatments, doctors and facilities is driving travel agents, operators and clinics to provide a high quality service for the growing number of health tourists.”

SmartLipo: Much ado about nothing?SmartLipo, the laser assisted liposuction device sold by Cynosure Inc. was released in January 2007. It had been under development for a number of years and an early article was published in the Brazilian literature in 2002. The device uses an Nd:YAG laser to melt fat, prior to its being suctioned out. This laser type has been around for a long time and variants are  used for hair removal and tattoo removal, among other things. The key question, which was the subject of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal and is discussed in their blog.There is no question that liposuction, which has been widely performed since the 1980s, is an effective procedure. The question is whether the SmartLipo device adds anything to the procedure. There is very little evidence that this is the case. There is no doubt that melting the fat rather than breaking it up with a cannula  is physically easier on the surgeon. It also is a slower procedure than traditional liposuction, resulting in a longer procedure in some cases. However, to justify the cost of the device, greater than $100,000, hopefully it should have significant benefits for the patient. The claims made for SmartLipo are that it produces tightening of the skin beyond that  seen in traditional liposuction. So far, there is no published evidence that this is the case.  It is quite common to see skin tightening after traditional liposuction.  Frequently we see people who have a roll of skin on their lower abdomens, and they ask whether the skin should be cut out along with the liposuction. We tell them that the skin will tighten and that if there is not enough tightening, we can remove the excess skin in a subsequent procedure. We have never had anyone request that this be done, and we have been doing liposuction since the mid 1980s.
In the Wall Street Journal Blog  Dr. William Coleman III, the editor of the journal of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery says “Smartlipo is a marketing gimmick to get people through the door.” He adds that there’s no scientific evidence in human tests that Smartlipo improves outcomes, tightens skin or speeds recovery, compared to tumescent liposuction, according to the WSJ.
It is not uncommon for new technology to be released with great hype and little patient data to back it up. This, in my view, is an unfortunate situation because it makes the early patients into involuntary participants in a study to see how well the device works and what types of complications will be seen after large numbers of people are treated. I have previously noted that Reliant Technologies is relatively unique in this regard, having treated over 500 people with the Fraxel re:pair laser before releasing it. This approach should be more widespread.Gerald N. Bock MD

In spite of the renowned reputation of Brazil as the Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Capital of the World, birthplace of famous techniques (the Brazilian Butt Lift, LipoAbdominoplasty, LipoSculpture, etc) and “aesthetic eye for the human body,” there are those who still question with whom to entrust the creation of their new body or new look.  And while we recognize that price is a factor as we look abroad at our options, the very fact that a cosmetic procedures IS one you pay out of pocket, you have the final word in choosing the value for your money.   

NuWire Investor this week also recognizes Brazil as a top choice for Plastic Surgery and other Cosmetic Procedures…

for the entire article, go to:  http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/top-5-medical-tourism-destinations-51502.aspx

So consider….of all the countries and continents and their respective surgeons offering plastic surgery procedures, which continent conjures up visions of curvy bodies, scantily clad?  South America, Asia, or Europe?  South America has my vote…  and then, which country do we think of when we think “sexy bikini bodies?”  And how many famous celebrities, over the decades, have trusted their bodies to Brazil?  You deserve no less! 

T

 Well, luckily Brazil is concentrating on Plastic Surgery!  This is disheartening after hearing what has been going on in India and how other Medical Tourism companies are promoting or at least, offering, this kind of procedure, and for so inexpensively….  For the whole article, please see:  http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6384311.html

Here is an excerpt however…

The Philippine government will ban commercial sales of kidneys of the Filipinos to foreigners under the guise of medical tourism, reported the official Philippines News Agency Monday.

A previous government policy allowed foreign patients to come to the Philippines for kidney transplants, which has enabled hundreds of foreigners to get a kidney from Filipino donors for around 100,000 pesos (2,500 U.S. dollars)….  continued, see link above.