Largest Study to Date Shows Plastic Surgery Medical Tourism Can Match -- or Surpass -- U.S. Safety Benchmarks

CARTAGENA, Colombia, Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A landmark study published in PRS Global Open finds that plastic surgery medical tourism, when performed in accredited, high-volume centers, can be as safe — and sometimes safer — than surgery performed in the United States.

The peer-reviewed article, "Safety and Outcomes in Plastic Surgery Medical Tourism: A Review of 2,324 Patients and 7,141 Procedures," is the largest consecutive study ever conducted on plastic surgery medical tourism. Led by Dr. Alex Campbell and Dr. Carolina Restrepo of Premium Care Plastic Surgery in Cartagena, Colombia, the research analyzed international patients treated between 2013 and 2024.

Key Findings

• Patient origins: 89% of patients traveled from the U.S. and Canada.
• Procedures: Body contouring (57%), breast surgery (18%), and facial surgery (25%).
• Safety outcomes: Complication rates were 6.2% per patient (2.2% per procedure) — favorable compared with large U.S. datasets.
• Superior results: Tummy tuck complications (5.5%) and liposuction complications (0.3%) were significantly lower than U.S. benchmarks from the TOPS database.

Expert Perspective

"Our data show that with rigorous standards, advanced facilities, and comprehensive care, international centers can deliver outcomes that match or exceed those of leading practices in the United States," said Dr. Alex Campbell, co-founder of Premium Care Plastic Surgery. "This challenges misconceptions about medical tourism and demonstrates the value of a Center of Excellence model."

Global Implications

The findings highlight that safety depends on standards, not geography. Colombia ranks among the top global destinations for plastic surgery tourism, and the Premium Care model emphasizes:

• Comprehensive preoperative assessment.
• State-of-the-art facilities and certified staff.
• Dual-surgeon teams to reduce anesthesia time.
• Multidisciplinary recovery in a resort setting.
• Structured telemedicine follow-up.

About the Study

The article is available open access: Campbell A, Restrepo C, Luna-Pisciotti T, Hernandez M. Safety and Outcomes in Plastic Surgery Medical Tourism: A Review of 2,324 Patients and 7,141 Procedures. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2025;13:e7113. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000007113.

About Premium Care Plastic Surgery

Premium Care Plastic Surgery is an internationally recognized center for aesthetic surgery in Cartagena, Colombia, serving patients from more than 40 countries. Founded by U.S.-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Alex Campbell and Dr. Carolina Restrepo, the practice integrates advanced surgery, luxury recovery suites, and concierge-level patient care into a comprehensive medical tourism model.

Media Contact

Premium Care Plastic Surgery

[email protected]
U.S. Line: +1 (305) 848-1909 | WhatsApp: +57 312 545 5569
www.premiumcareplasticsurgery.com

SOURCE Premium Care Plastic Surgery