A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

Welcome to my blog. I am a retired plastic surgeon in Seattle and was in private practice since 1991. I've seen more than a few interesting faces and cases through my years spent in the exam room, the operating room and the emergency room. And I have an opinion on just about everything relating to plastic surgery (and a lot of unrelated stuff). If you like my blog, let me know. Thanks for reading! Lisa

Placebo: It’s not just pills.

Everyone has heard of the placebo effect with medication but surgery can also involve a placebo effect.  Here is an article from several years ago about sham surgery.  I was reminded of this article recently while listening to the Hidden Brain podcast.  Take a read.  It is very interesting!  THE NEW HEALTH CARE The PlaceboContinue reading…

Lessons Learned (and Confirmed) on my Rim to Rim Grand Canyon Backpacking Adventure

I am still basking in the afterglow of last month’s Grand Canyon adventure.  Early in the pandemic, I came across an article on backpacking in Grand Canyon in one of the travel magazines my husband, Nick O’Connell, occasionally writes for. This article planted a little seed, or maybe a wild hair, in my head toContinue reading…

Meet Dr. Hakim Said!

My last day of surgery was last Friday (5/21/21) and my very last day of practice is June 1st.  My 30 years of private practice have been a pleasure and a privilege.  I thank all of my wonderful patients and my wonderful staff for a great run. I am very pleased that Dr. Hakim SaidContinue reading…

To everything there is a season………………………

It is with mixed feelings I am announcing my retirement this June, after 30 years of practice.  I know it’s cliche to say that time as flown but it really, really has.  Plastic surgery has offered me everything in a career that I could have asked for.  It allowed a biology geek like me toContinue reading…

Happy Thanksgiving

  ’tis the season of Thanksgiving.  Here are a few things that this plastic surgeon is thankful for………. Modern Anesthesia.  This makes for painless surgery.  And the surgeon can take her time to do a really, really nice job.  During the Pilgrims’ time, the main qualification for being a surgeon was to be really, really, really fast. Yikes!Continue reading…

Eddie Van Halen – R.I.P. and thanks for the memories.

Eddie Van Halen died  few days ago at the ripe old age of 65.  I’m 64 so that’s hitting pretty damn close to home although his odometer was considerably higher than mine. I was a resident in general surgery from 1983 until 1988 when Van Halen ruled the airways, even in Salt Lake City whereContinue reading…

Breast Lift at the Time of Breast Implant Removal : Is It Safe???

I saw a patient recently who would benefit a lot from having a breast lift at the time of implant removal and that was what I recommended.  She had read on Dr. Facebook that it was safer to delay the lift.  This launched me into a discussion about the blood supply to the breast, whichContinue reading…

Returning to Elective Surgery in the New World Order of COVID-19.

 Washington State is starting to open up following our stay-at-home order.  I am really looking forward to getting back to what I love – taking care of patients.  We have worked very hard along with our national societies and governmental agencies to put in place procedures to keep ourpatients and ourselves as safe as possible.  IContinue reading…

A must read article about COVID-19

Please read this article for some excellent information of COVID-19.   My office and ambulatory surgery center is shutting down for at least a month.  We will have a skeleton staff answering the phone and I will be available in person for only those who really need a face to face with me.  I am 63Continue reading…

Can Surgery Be A Placebo?????

A few weeks ago I listened to an excellent Hidden Brain Podcast about placebos and not just the sugar pill kind of placebo.  This podcast recounted an amazing clinical trial done way back in 2002 which put the very common procedure of arthroscopic knee surgery for osteoarthritis to the test.  I will summarize that studyContinue reading…

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