Evidence-Based Body Contouring Surgery and VTE Prevention

Dr. Eric Swanson is an outspoken advocate for the application of the scientific method to cosmetic surgery, an approach known as evidence-based medicine. Dr. Swanson is a frequent presenter, invited faculty member, and course instructor at the meetings of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. He was invited as an international keynote speaker at the 2019 Australian Plastic Surgery Congress. In 2002, Dr. Swanson embarked on a multi-part clinical investigation of cosmetic surgery, using the tools of science to study cosmetic surgery - patient outcome studies, prospective clinical studies, laboratory tests, and measurements using computer-assisted imaging and MRIs. In 2012, Dr. Swanson published a new system for measuring the results of cosmetic breast surgery. His landmark photometric studies reveal the limitations of breast "autoaugmentation" and traditional surgical methods. Dr. Swanson challenges conventional methods of VTE prevention using risk stratification and routine anticoagulation, recommending "SAFE" anesthesia and ultrasound surveillance instead. Dr. Swanson's clinical work, measurements, and outcome studies have culminated in over 135 publications in the top peer-reviewed plastic surgery journals. In 2015, Dr. Swanson received the award for "Best North American Paper" from the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery-Global Open.