What do you like most about what you do?
Making people happy.

What is your usual approach with your patients?
My approach is a combination of openness, honesty, availability and good work. We call the patients the night after surgery and are always available if they have post-op concerns. We have weekly staff meetings to discuss the changes in the practice, and I also keep my surgical staff members well trained. As a result of traveling to conferences all the time, I bring back new information on a regular basis to keep them up to date of the latest developments. For instance, I recently brought them up to speed on a new approach to rhinoplasty that does not remove cartilage and instead maintains the integrity and strength of the nose.

How important is it that a patient likes their surgeon?
It is very important. It is also important that, if there is a problem, the surgeon is able to understand what the patient is going through. Having the right training and knowledge to deal with potential problems is the key. We talk to our patients several times both pre- and post-op. We make a point of talking to the person who will be taking care of them after surgery as well. Patients see staff members before, during and after surgery and talk to at least 4 staff members - and they always have contact with all of the staff to ensure continuity of care.

What is the most important factor for a successful procedure?
Getting good results depends on knowledge and skill on the surgeon's part as well as realistic expectations on the patient's part.

Why did you choose to specialize in facial plastic surgery and what training was required?
My training was 5 yrs of surgery related to the head and neck plus another year of facial plastic surgery. I do not perform any surgery on the rest of the body. As important as the initial training is, it is equally important to keep up to date. I teach at the University of Toronto and lecture around the world on different techniques. A doctor is not just evaluated on the number of cases he or she treats but also how the doctor keeps upgrading his or her skills.

I can get really involved in the minutia of the head and neck region. That is how I develop techniques and become more knowledgeable. For example, I found the nerve in the brow that makes people frown and, now, I cut it when I perform an endoscopic forehead/brow lift. The technique has been published in journals and I have lectured on it.

The reason I chose facial plastic surgery is because I performed a lot of head and neck cancer surgery, which tended to mutilate people. I wanted to make people look better and feel better about themselves. People are more productive as a result. A major portion of my practice is age diminishing surgery or preventative maintenance for aging. What I like to call "youthful aging".

How much information do you give patients and what determines enough vs. too much?
I err on the side of giving them too much information, but I make sure that I give them something written. I highlight the pro, cons, limitations and complications of every surgery. I give them a 36-page document for rhinoplasty. I have even written a book about what patients should know in non-medical language and I have rewritten parts of it as documentation for my patients. We actually just did a study about the potential complications for one procedure. Half of the patients got pamphlets on the complications and the other half did not. Those without the pamphlet had a recall of 1.8 points out of a possible five. Obviously, those who had the pamphlets had all five points. In the old days people didn't want that much information but now they want to know what they are getting into and rightly so. It is much better for the doctor to have informed patients because "knowledge decreases anxiety".

What do you consider to be the wrong reasons to have elective surgery? How have you dealt with prospective patients who might have come to you for those reasons?

Having surgery for secondary gains is not an appropriate reason; to get a boyfriend, husband or wife back or to get a job promotion, for example. I can change what the patient wants me to but they need to get their lives sorted out.

A patient came in who had just split up with her husband and she wanted and was a good candidate for blepharoplasty. I told her that I would not operate right away, though, and told her to wait until she was through the divorce. She wasn't ready for the bruising and the depression that often follows surgery and she had no support at home. In some cases one might suggest therapy but it is important to say that in a delicate manner.

What kind of follow-up can your patients expect?
We like to see them for at least a year afterwards. We generally see them 2-3 days post-op then 10 days, a month, 6 months and a year after the procedure.

When do you know that you have done a great job?
When my patient is happy and I'm happy. I'm happy about 85% of the time because I'm more critical than my patients. It is very gratifying to have a patient who is happy with the results. One even came back and brought in some homemade tomato sauce. We also have patients who come back after years of BOTOXÒ and asking for a forehead lift. We develop great relationships with our patients and they become part of the family. We send newsletters to keep them up to date with the Center and the staff members. I included a picture of my newborn granddaughter in the most recent issue. We involve them in our lives. One of secretaries left after getting married and we wrote all about her wedding in the newsletter. The daughter of our manager, Barb, is going to university so we'll put that in, too. We are very happy to have such a close relationship with our patients.

Visit Dr. Ellis' Site