For that reason, Dr. Sullivan requires all of his patients to undergo a thorough physical examination prior to any surgical procedure. Other plastic surgeons may not require this, but Dr. Sullivan believes ensuring a patient’s overall health is of the utmost importance. He says some patients will not agree to the physical, and end up having their surgery elsewhere.
Luckily, one of his patients, Aurora, agreed to the thorough evaluation before having eyelid surgery. The physical included a mammogram, and because of the mammogram, Aurora’s doctor detected breast cancer. Her eyelid surgery was cancelled, and because of the early detection, she was able to undergo a double mastectomy and says she knows she will survive. Dr. Sullivan says Aurora is only one of a handful of his patients who have discovered underlying health issues through the required evaluation, adding that early detection before developing a major health issue, or complicating one through cosmetic procedures, is of the utmost importance to him and his team.
Dr. Sullivan remains committed to the well-being of his Rhode Island plastic surgery patients. Other than requiring a thorough evaluation, they take the time to get to know each of their patients prior to any surgical or nonsurgical procedure, and will recommend against it if they do not feel it is in the patient’s best interests. “We want to enable people to live their lives to the fullest in every way: superb health, energy, vitality, confidence. All of these allow people to be more passionate about their lives. They are happier and can give and contribute more.â€
For more information about Aurora’s story, or to read Dr. Sullivan’s full interview, click here.