Can I Have Plastic Surgery Work Done If I Am On Immunosuppression After A Transplant?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in getting some minor plastic surgery work done. I had a kidney and pancreas transplant done over a year ago.. I am wonder if being on immunosuppression drugs would it be unsafe to have some minor facial work completed?

A: In answer to your question regarding the ability to do some minor plastic surgery work on immunosuppressed patients, the answer is maybe. It would depend on what type of immunosuppression you are on (how significant), what procedures you are considering and their risk of infection and ultimately what your transplant doctors feel is adviseable. I have done numerous plastic surgery procedures on transplant patients all without any problems. Almost all of these have been on kidney transplant patients only .I have not done any work on someone who has had a pancreas transplant or combined kidney and pancreas transplants.  However, as long as your transplant doctors know what you are considering and give it their blessing, then some facial plastic surgery work can be done.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana