Prof. Donald Marshall launches book on Cosmetic Surgery

Bigger breasts a fashion must-have but leading surgeon urges caution in new book launched at Cotham Private Hospital

Bigger breasts and the ease with which women can get them may make them the fashion must- have of the century, but understanding what breast surgery really means will be made much easier with the launch today of a new book "Your breasts and plastic surgery", at Cotham Private Hospital in Kew.

Written by leading plastic surgeon Professor Donald Marshall, this is the first book written about breast surgery for the patient and discusses all aspects of the surgery including enlargement, reduction and reconstruction.

“Breast surgery is increasingly common,” says Professor Marshall, “However, there is nothing superficial about these procedures. Women need to be in a position to weigh the possible risks against the benefits to give truly informed consent.”

The most common form of breast surgery is breast enlargement. An estimated 10,000 breast enlargements take place in Australia every year.  Professor Marshall says that fashion is driving the demand for implants as the Western obsession with thinness takes a toll on breasts.

“In the case of enlargement women should be told that one set of implants probably won’t last a lifetime and some scarring is inevitable,” he says. “And as many as thirty per cent of breast enlargement patients will undergo more than one operation due to complications.”

He says both patient and surgeon bear responsibilities in the exchange.
“Good communication is the key to a good outcome,” he says. “Patient and surgeon must work together to canvas options. It’s about matching expectations to what’s physically achievable.  A surgeon must outline all risks and complications and be honest in regard to the result that can be achieved. Patients must ask questions and listen to what they been told.”

Professor Marshall says often patients have unrealistic expectations created by media and advertising imagery and are reluctant to accept that surgery has limitations.

“There is no such thing as perfection,” he says.

Professor Marshall says he has included in the book all the information that he would give to someone in a surgical consultation.   He describes in detail the procedures available for all three categories of breast surgery, including risks and possible complications, and includes detailed stories from patients about their experiences.

At Cotham Private Hospital, where Professor Marshall has worked in private practice for over 20 years, plastic surgery is a growing area of the workload.

General Manager of Cotham Private Hospital, Ms Suzanne Petterson says, “We are seeing a growing demand for cosmetic procedures and it is an area in which a lot of conflicting and inaccurate information abounds so a resource for consumers is invaluable.” 

Health Services Commissioner Beth Wilson, who launched the book, supports her sentiments.  “Women reading this book will be much better advised about their options. These days patients want to know what their choices are and they want to be involved in decision-making.  There is some evidence that patients who are fully informed recover more quickly than those who are unsure.”

"People sometimes forget that surgery is a risky business and despite our best effort things can go wrong,” says Russell Stitz, President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

 “Which is why it is great to have a book like this as it gives the patient and their loved ones all the information they need to make the right choices and also outlines what the risks are. I wish we had something like this for all sorts of surgical procedures.”

Your breasts and plastic surgery: Enlargement, Reduction, Reconstruction, Michelle Anderson Publishing  

About Donald Marshall (AM, M.B., M.S., F.R.A.C.S, F.A.C.S.)

Donald Marshall was Head of Plastic Surgery at Prince Henry’s Hospital and Monash Medical Centre from 1968-1996, and was appointed Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery, Monash University in 1987.

He has published extensively on plastic surgery and has worked and lectured in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.