This article boldly and practically discusses the potential problem patient. Prevention and treatment are the primary focus. Throughout the article the author stresses the surgeon's responsibility for recognizing and controlling the many psychological conditions and reactions that could create doctor-patient conflict, and consequently cause a patient to become a problem.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BakerTK: Patient selection and polysurgical evaluation. In BakerTK (ed). Clinics in Plastic Surgery: The Aging Face 5,1. Philadelphia, Saunders1978; 3–15.
2.
DeutschH: Some psychoanalytic observations in surgery. Psychosom Med1942; 105–115.
3.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd ed.Washington D.C., American Psychiatric Association, 1980.
4.
EdgertonMTJacobsenWE, and MeyerE: Surgical psychiatric study of patients seeking plastic (cosmetic) surgery: Ninety-eight consecutive patients with minimal deformity. Br J Plast Surg13, 1961: 136.
5.
GiffordS: Cosmetic surgery and personality change: A review of some clinical observations. In GoldwynRM (ed). The Unfavorable Results in Plastic Surgery: Avoidance and Treatment. Boston, Little Brown, 1972: 11–32.
6.
GoinMBurgoynK, and GoinJ: Face-lift operations: The patient's secret motivations and reactions to informed consent. Plast Reconstr Surg58, 1976: 273–279.
7.
GoldwynRM: The Patient and the Plastic Surgeon. Boston, Little Brown, 1981: 22.
8.
HindererUT: Dr. Vazquez Anon's last lesson. Aesth Plast Surg2, 1978: 375–382.
9.
KatzJ: The Silent World of Doctor and Patient. New York, Free Press, 1984; 198, XX, 209.
10.
MenningerKA: Polysurgery and polysurgical addiction. Psychoanalytic Quarterly3, 1934: 173–198.
11.
MeyerEJacobsonWEEdgertonMT: Motivational patterns in patients seeking elective plastic surgery, I. Women who seek rhinoplasty. Psychosom Med, 22:1960: 193–203.
12.
MooreEB: A lawyer talks about medical malpractice. J Tenn Med Assoc69, 1976: 251–253.
13.
ReichJ: The surgery of appearance: Psychological and related aspects. Med J Aust2, 1969: 5–13.
14.
SirottLWaitzkinH: Holism and self-care: Can the individual succeed where society fails? In SidelVWSidelR (eds), Reforming Medicine, New York, Pantheon, 1984: 245–264.
15.
WebbWLSlaughterRMeyerE: Mechanisms of psychological adjustment in patients seeking “facelift” operation. Psychosom Med27, 1967: 183.
16.
WrightMRWrightWK: A psychological study of patients undergoing cosmetic surgery. Arch of Otolaryngol101, 1975: 145–151.
17.
WrightMR: Management of patient dissatisfaction with results of cosmetic procedures. Arch of Otolaryngol106, 1980: 460–465.
18.
WrightMR: Self-perception of the elective surgeon and some patient perception correlates. Arch of Otolaryngol106, 1980: 460–465.
