Traveling for Surgery
Planning Your Trip to Beverly Hills with Dr. Kelly Killeen
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Traveling to Beverly Hills for Surgery
Between 30 and 40 percent of Dr. Kelly Killeen's patients come from out of town, flying in from other states and countries for surgery in Beverly Hills. Traveling makes sense for a lot of people, especially for a procedure that isn't offered near home.
It also adds risk, and Dr. Killeen is open about that. Most problems after surgery show up in the first few days, some appear weeks later, and a surgeon who is a plane ride away can't examine you. Planning ahead is how you lower that risk, and this page walks through how she plans it with her out-of-town patients.
We don't want you to have a procedure, fly home two days later, and then be managing complications by yourself trying to find a doctor.
Before You Travel
Most of the planning happens from home. You see Dr. Killeen in person once you are in town.
Virtual consultation
Start with a HIPAA-compliant virtual consultation. For breast procedures, you can upload three photos from home to create a Crisalix 3D model and preview implant sizes.Pre-op testing near home
Your pre-op testing and visit can be done with your primary care doctor near home. They check that you are healthy enough for surgery and order labs and tests based on your age, history and procedure. Do this early: if a result needs a closer look, there has to be time to sort it out before you travel.Pre-op phone call
The office schedules a pre-op phone call with you before you travel.Book your stay and your caregiver
Before you buy a plane ticket, arrange where you will stay and who will stay with you after surgery.In-person pre-op with Dr. Killeen
When you come into town, you see Dr. Killeen in person before surgery. The pre-op visit covers your consent forms, what the day of surgery looks like, how to make recovery easier, and your prescriptions.
Your Plan Is Confirmed in Person
A virtual consultation gives you a plan, but Dr. Killeen confirms it when she examines you, and her recommendations can change. Size is a common example: a size picked at home or at another office isn't always possible in one surgery, and some patients need two operations to stretch the tissue to the size they want. It is better to know that before you fly.
Medications
Fill your prescriptions in California before you go home. Depending on your state, a California doctor may not be able to prescribe refills where you live. Most of Dr. Killeen's patients don't need much prescription pain medicine, but if you might, line up a doctor at home who is willing to manage it.
How Long to Stay in Los Angeles
- Minimum stay
- 7 to 10 days in Los Angeles after surgery before you fly home
- International patients
- At least two weeks after surgery
- Your exact stay
- Set by Dr. Killeen for your procedure, your health and how you heal
- Follow-up trip
- One short in-person visit at six months: fly in and fly out
The minimum applies to every surgery, big or small, including breast augmentation, breast reduction, liposuction and tummy tuck. If you can manage two weeks, Dr. Killeen considers that the safest choice.
Why the Minimum Stay
Early Problems Need Early Care
Blood Clots
Bleeding or Fluid on Landing
Where to Stay and Who Stays With You
Stay Close to the Office
Book a hotel, a short-term rental or a stay with friends or family near the Beverly Hills office for your whole stay. Distance in Los Angeles is measured in traffic: three miles can take an hour, depending on the time of day and where you are coming from. The office keeps a list of places to stay nearby, so ask for it before you book.
Someone With You at All Times
You can't recover alone. Someone needs to be with you at all times for at least the first few days. If no friend or family member can come, the practice recommends one of its partner aftercare facilities (below). Here is Dr. Killeen's take on who makes the best caretaker.
Aftercare Facilities
Patients who stay overnight after surgery at the center in Dr. Killeen's office recover at a partner aftercare facility. The practice prefers its partners, Aura AfterCare and Immortelle, and they are also the recommended option if you don't have someone who can stay with you. If you look at recovery homes on your own, choose one staffed by nurses who can provide medical care. Unlicensed recovery houses, often run by people with no medical training, are not a safe substitute.
Flying Home Safely
When it is time to fly, these steps lower your risk. They apply to any flight in the first month or two after surgery.
- Move. Get up and walk the aisle about every 45 minutes, and move your legs while you sit.
- Ask about a blood thinner. For long flights, and after surgeries with a higher clot risk such as a tummy tuck, Dr. Killeen often prescribes a medication to lower the chance of a clot.
- Pack for comfort. An extra pillow or blanket helps you position yourself in a cramped seat, and you may want a dose or two of pain medicine for the trip.
- Plan for the airport. Terminals can mean long walks. Ask for a wheelchair or other help if you need it.
- Bring supplies. If you still have dressings or drains, have a clean way to care for them during the trip.
Get emergency care right away
Follow-Up After You Go Home
Surgery isn't only the day in the operating room. Dr. Killeen follows her patients for at least six months, and those visits matter for both your safety and how your result looks.
The day after surgery
A check with Dr. Killeen's team, usually her nurse practitioner1 week
Your first follow-up visit with Dr. Killeen, while you are still in town1 month and 3 months
Telehealth visits from home6 months
An in-person visit in Beverly Hills, a short trip you can fly in and out forAfter that
More visits if anything needs attention. Visits after six months depend on your insurance, so ask the office.
If Something Comes Up at Home
Call the office first. Some problems, such as a fluid collection, can show up weeks after surgery. Dr. Killeen knows plastic surgeons around the country, and if you need to be seen near home, she can often call a colleague in your city and talk through your case with them (how that coverage works).
Why Follow-Up Matters
A small problem caught early, like a fluid collection that can be drained in the office, is far easier to fix than one found late. Why follow-up visits are half of your result.
Choosing a Surgeon Away From Home
Dr. Killeen's advice for anyone traveling for surgery, wherever they go, is to hold the surgeon to the same standards as at home.
Make sure that you are following the same principles that you would if you were having surgery there in your hometown.
- A surgeon board certified in plastic surgery, not a "cosmetic surgeon" certified by a different board
- An accredited surgery center
- Hospital privileges, so your surgeon can care for you in a hospital if you need one
- A trained, licensed anesthesia provider
- A recovery facility staffed by nurses, if you will use one
- A clear answer to: "If I have trouble after I get home, how will I get care, and how will you help me?"
Dr. Killeen is board certified in plastic surgery. She operates at the Quad A (AAAASF) accredited surgery center in her Beverly Hills office and at Cedars-Sinai, with board-certified anesthesiologists, and patients who stay overnight after surgery at the center recover at a partner aftercare facility.
Surgery in Another Country
The risks grow when the surgery is abroad. Follow-up visits mean international flights, a serious complication doesn't leave time to book a trip, and few surgeons at home want to take over care they didn't start. Dr. Killeen explains why in why leaving your area for surgery is a problem.
If you already had surgery abroad and need a revision, revision surgery is a large part of her practice. Operative records from abroad are often hard to get, so gather what you can (records, language barriers and implant warranties).
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan Your Trip to Beverly Hills
Start From Home
Start with a virtual consultation with Dr. Kelly Killeen. You can talk through your goals, your health and your timeline before you book a flight.
Bring your questions about dates, where to stay and follow-up, and plan the trip around your recovery.
Book your virtual consultation.
Schedule Your ConsultationStart From Home
Start with a virtual consultation with Dr. Kelly Killeen. You can talk through your goals, your health and your timeline before you book a flight.
Bring your questions about dates, where to stay and follow-up, and plan the trip around your recovery.
Book your virtual consultation.
Schedule Your Consultation