Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

My wife Melissa and I just returned from a week-long trip to Peru. The trip began in Cuzco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire when the Spanish colonized the area. Cuzco is at 12,000 feet and travelers are often affected by altitude sickness. Fortunately the hotel we stayed in, the Monasterio, had supplemental oxygen available in the guest rooms. The next day we took the Hiram Bingham train to Macchu Picchu. This was an enchanting area, deeply spiritual in its feeling in the heart of the Peruvian Andes. The area left us with a profound feeling of peace and wonder, so much so that a return trip to spend several days in the area is part of our future plans.

Upon returning to Lima, I taught a 3-day course on Rhinoplasty, joined by Dr. Ted Cook from Portland and Dr. Roxana Cobo from Columbia. The course was jointly administered by the Peruvian Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Facial Surgery and the Latin American Society of Rhinology and Facial Plastic Surgery. It drew 180 surgeons interested in expanding their rhinoplasty techniques. The lectures I gave were on Fundamental Concepts in Rhinoplasty, Functional Rhinoplasty, Advanced Nasal Tip Techniques, Revision Rhinoplasty, Internet Marketing and Rhinoplasty, The Crooked Nose, and Complications of Rhinoplasty, totaling 6 hours of lectures. Our hosts, Dr. Francisco Saliverry (President of the Latin American Society of Rhinology and Facial Plastic Surgery) and Dr. Miguel Garcia-Calderon (President of the Peruvian Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Facial Surgery) made the time in Lima memorable and filled with wonderful food and social events. The educational enthusiasm of the Peruvian surgeons was so impressive that I have promised to return next year for another course, this time including live surgery.