Melbourne plastic surgeon fears shortcuts in Thai surgery standards will lead to HIV, hepatitis

IT might seem like the perfect solution for plastic surgery on a budget. But what this expert says about Thailand’s medical tourism might change your mind.

Thai traditional boats. Phi-Phi Island

IT is only a matter of time before a patient contracts HIV at a hospital in Thailand, warns a leading plastic surgeon.

Andrew Greensmith, from the Melbourne Institute of Plastic Surgery, said the increased popularity in medical tourism is leaving Australians prone to suffering a range of blood borne diseases.

“It’s just a matter of time before someone picks up HIV or hepatitis over there because things such as sterilisation, re-use of needles, changing gloves between patients and even proper draping of surgical sheets just isn’t happening there,” Mr Greensmith said.

“Some of the hospitals over there say they have proper accreditation but it may have been passed in 2006. There aren’t the proper checks. Here, accreditation is redone every year but it’s not like that in Thailand.”

Mr Greensmith admitted that plastic surgery had become too expensive in Australia, explaining the popularity of travelling to Thailand to have the work carried out.

He said the latest research showed that 40 per cent of Australians are travelling overseas to have plastic surgery procedures.

His own clinic has lowered some prices, such as breast augmentations which now cost $7500 and that includes consultations before and after surgery, making the cost more comparable to similar procedures in Thailand.

“We have addressed the cost and managed certain things so we’re still able to maintain the standards and it’s still a plastic surgeon doing the work here, not a General Practitioner or Cosmetic Surgeon,” he said.

“And the quality of the implants used in Thailand also isn’t as good as it is here.

“The other issue is that this medical tourism is advertised as a holiday and all you should be doing after a breast augmentation is resting at home for a few days.”

Originally published as Melbourne plastic surgeon fears shortcuts in Thai surgery standards will lead to HIV, hepatitis