Development and Implementation of an Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship After Residency: The Universidad La Salle/Hospital Angeles Experience

Background: Postgraduate training in plastic surgery is heterogeneous between countries, with exposure to aesthetic surgery being a reflection of this. Fellowships in Mexico have usually consisted of tutorial teaching, providing graduates with experience but a lack of formal structure. The aim of his work is to present a University-backed program focused on aesthetic surgery and propose the expansion of this kind of program.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional review of surgical cases was performed over a five-year period from 2015 to 2019. Data were obtained from the senior surgeon's practice charts. Information was recorded using a data sheet including patients' demographic characteristics, procedures performed and type of anesthesia applied. Descriptive analyses of patient demographic and clinical characteristics were performed. Continuous variables are expressed in central tendency measures, and categorical values are presented as percentages.

Results: 1282 procedures were performed on 885 patients, 797 females (90%) and 88 males (10%). Mean age was 44.6 ± 13.8 years. Case load consisted in 545 breast procedures (42.5%), 372 body contour surgeries (29.0%), 305 facial aesthetic procedures (23.8%) and 60 miscellaneous procedures (4%). The most common surgeries were breast augmentation (249, 19.4%), alloplastic breast reconstruction (165, 12.8%), blepharoplasty (163, 12.7%), liposuction (151, 11.7%), and abdominoplasty (107, 8.3%).

Conclusions: A University backed program focused on aesthetic surgery is feasible and desirable in multiple national and international institutions.

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