Breast Surgery at a Crossroad?

POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH 2021-01-18

Wolfgang Steimel, CEO, POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics.   

We would like to share with you a thought piece that our CEO Wolfgang Steimel has written as part of our support of ISAPS.  

I have been privileged to spend almost 30 years working within plastic surgery. I truly love this specialty. I look back at people I have met over those 30 years. The friendships I have forged. The mutual respect. The curiosity to try new things. New techniques. New products. New ways of pushing the boundaries of surgical excellence.   

Over those years I have seen many changes. As with all change when it happens gradually, over time we tend not to really notice. Changes often creep up on us until one day we stop to think. How did we get here? Ironically Covid-19 has given me just that pause for thought.   

Despite the lack of my usual global travels to congresses and meeting, in the last 12 months I have spoken to more surgeons than ever before. From Presidents of National and International Societies to young plastic surgeons on the brink of amazing possibilities to improve their patients lives. I feel a burden of responsibility to each and every one.   

In 2020 despite everything plastic surgery has adapted. We have overcome. The last quarter of 2020 was a record quarter for us and I thank you for your trust and support. This however is not my key message today.    

Along with the positive stories, and there are many, I am hearing from many concerned surgeons. Surgeons who are concerned about the trends that they are seeing in our wonderful profession. Surgeons feeling pressured, in some cases bullied, into making decisions for their patient without good clinical basis. Social media providing half information and mistruths in many cases. Forces in our industry advocating to reduce choices instead of expanding choice, with no real basis in fact.     

Today my respectful message to you is this. A message learned the hard way through 30 years of success and quite honestly also some mistakes. Success begins with people. Success is sustained by doing the right thing day after day, when those decisions are easy and more importantly when they are difficult. We need to work in partnership with our patients to provide the optimum long term clinical solution.   

At the end of the day the responsibility rests with you. Ultimately you are in charge. We don’t need to choose between commercial success and long-term patient outcomes. In fact, they come together.   

In 2021 POLYTECH celebrate 35 years since our foundation. A 35 year heritage and dedication to QUALITY. For our part, POLYTECH will continue to invest in innovation. We will continue to invest in education. We will continue to invest in the industry that we love so much. Our success comes only through you.   

As one of the fathers of breast surgery, Dr. Thomas M. Biggs, continuously reminds us, ‘no key fits every lock’. Choices and diversity are keys to success!

We thank you for your ongoing support and wish you a wonderful 2021.