Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38476523›Full record

ArticleEplasty2024

Medical Tourism in Plastic Surgery: A Case Series of Complications.

Bilal Koussayer, Taylor Blount, Mohammad Tahseen Alkaelani, Nicole K Le, Mahmood J Al Bayati, Joseph Moffitt, Jared Troy

Open access · greenAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Eplasty, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Bilal KoussayerUniversity of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida.
Taylor BlountFlorida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida.
Mohammad Tahseen AlkaelaniFlorida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida.
Nicole K LeDepartment of Plastic Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Mahmood J Al BayatiDepartment of Plastic Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Joseph MoffittDepartment of Plastic Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Jared TroyDepartment of Plastic Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
University of South Florida · USFlorida State University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Medical tourism in plastic surgery has grown exponentially over the last decade. The rise in the number of cases is multifactorial but is mostly driven by reduced cost. While this may seem attractive to patients, it is not without risk. Even under the best circumstances, complications can arise, and patients may be put at increased risk of atypical infections due to different sterilization standards. Lack of customary follow-up and accessibility can lead to delays in diagnosing infections and cause patients to seek care locally. We present our experience in managing atypical infections resulting from cosmetic surgery tourism in a tertiary care system. Methods: We report a case series of 3 patients who underwent cosmetic procedures abroad who presented to our institutions with postoperative complications and infections. Results: Our cohort consist of 3 female patients ranging from 26 to 48 years of age who had cosmetic surgery abroad. All 3 presented with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections. Conclusions: Cosmetic surgery tourism is luring patients with advertised all-inclusive surgery and vacation packages at reduced cost. This attracts vulnerable patients and puts them at risk of devastating long-term physical and financial sequalae. NTM infections should be considered early in this population, especially when they are not responding to other therapies. More widespread information about the consequences of traveling for medical procedures is needed to help inform and empower patients to make educated decisions when choosing where to seek care.

Indexed as

ComplicationsCosmetic Surgery TourismInfectionsMedical TourismNontuberculous Mycobacteria

Identifiers

PMID38476523
PMCPMC10929066
OpenAlexW4394738897

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.