Dr. Louis C. Cutolo Jr., a board-certified plastic surgeon, helps his plastic surgery patients on Staten Island understand what to expect by using innovative animations to educate them on the procedures he provides.
Staten Island, New York (July 2012) – “A picture is worth 1,000 words” is an old adage that Dr. Louis C. Cutolo, Jr. takes to heart. Dr. Cutolo, who practices plastic surgery on Staten Island, is a great believer in patient education, and he feels there is no better way to educate patients than to show them exactly what will take place during and after surgery.
“I find that an educated patient is a well-prepared patient,” Dr. Cutolo says. “When a patient goes into surgery knowing what to expect and understanding what is going to take place, the patient is usually more confident and less anxious about the procedure. The less stress there is, the more rewarding the experience is for everyone involved.”
To help his patients gain confidence, Dr. Cutolo provides a series of informative animated videos on his website. The videos are produced by Understand.com Medical Education and endorsed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Each presentation covers a different procedure from start to finish, including anatomical drawings that show how the surgery is done, where incisions are made, what types of surgical tools are used and even what type of swelling and discomfort, if any, may be experienced afterward.
“I don’t want to sugar-coat it, and I don’t want patients to be left in the dark, wondering what will be happening during the procedure,” Dr. Cutolo says. “If a woman who is considering breast augmentation on Staten Island contacts me, one of the first things I do is recommend that she watch the presentation on breast augmentation that is available on my website.”
He finds that the animated presentations get his patients thinking about the details of the procedure, and that women who have watched the videos often come to their initial consultations with a list of questions. Another plastic surgeon on Staten Island might not want to provoke more questions from patients. Dr. Cutolo feels differently.
“I love it when patients come in with a lot of questions,” Dr. Cutolo says. “It shows me that they are serious about the procedure and have done a lot of thinking about it. They want to understand the details and the options available to them, and I am happy to listen and explain so that we can decide together on the best plan of action.”
In addition to the breast augmentation presentation, Dr. Cutolo’s website has educational animations that explain most of the procedures he offers, including facial surgery, body contouring and even skin treatments such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels.
Dr. Cutolo’s commitment to education includes keeping himself educated and up to date on all the latest surgical advancements, as well.
“I believe that excellence in performing plastic surgery comes from both education and experience,” he says. “I keep current on the newest techniques and standards so I can provide my patients with the safest operations and optimal results. I attend plastic surgery conferences and educational meetings to stay informed about new methods, the latest products and the newest equipment that a plastic surgery practice can use to provide state-of-the-art cosmetic enhancement procedures.”
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