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Columbus plastic surgery patients recover in style at Cosmetic Surgery Recovery Suites at the Hyatt™ on Capitol Square... Read Full Release ยป
Nip-'n'-tuck 'em inn
Specially equipped hotel suites pamper newly redesigned guests
The Columbus Dispatch-Monday, March 10, 2008 By Jeffrey Sheban 
Dr. Andrea Holinga applies makeup to client Joy Boltz of Reynoldsburg.
Photo by Andrea Kjerrumgaard
Here's a word to describe the newest way to recover from cosmetic surgery in central Ohio: suite. Luxurious private rooms, spa treatments and a room-service menu are part of the postoperative care at Cosmetic Surgery Recovery Suites -- opened in late fall by Dr. Andrea Holinga.
For discretion, guests are allowed to register under her name and ride a private elevator to rooms that are medically equipped for patients. The amenities include limo service to the hotel and 24-hour supervision by Holinga or a nurse. "I've known people who have gone to hotels after procedures because they think cosmetic surgery is minor surgery, and I thought that was incredibly dangerous," said Holinga, a 2006 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Medicine who doesn't perform surgery.
About 20 patients have cycled through since late November, staying from two nights to a week, the 28-year-old said. The four-star Hyatt provides rooms as needed. Her husband, Dr. Michael Vennemeyer, is a plastic surgeon who refers patients to the service but isn't an investor in the business. Similar offerings -- available for years in California, Florida and New York -- are rare in the Midwest.
"It's definitely cutting-edge and a phenomenal option for our patients," said Mary Beth Smith, office manager for Dr. Bivik Shah of the Columbus Institute of Plastic Surgery.
At $399 a night for a room plus medical supervision, the cost is comparable to that of 24-hour nursing care at home, Smith said, but hundreds less than that of many private hospital rooms. Meals, spa treatments and leg pumps to prevent blood clots cost extra.
Although hospitalization isn't often required after face-lifts, tummy tucks and breast enhancements, patients might need medical supervision and help with movement, Smith added. The potential dangers of cosmetic surgery were underscored in November when 58-year-old Donda West, a college professor and the mother of rapper Kanye West, died one day after undergoing liposuction, a tummy tuck and a breast reduction. She was recovering at home with a nurse -- and probably died of complications from heart disease, according to the coroner's report. Because of Holinga and the proximity to hospitals, the Downtown recovery suites "add a layer of protection and safety, and give doctors (who perform the surgeries) peace of mind, too," said Shah, who does 10 to 15 procedures a week. 
Dr. Andrea Holinga, left, with client Susan Henry of Dublin in a recovery suite.
Photo by Andrea Kjerrumgaard
Susan Henry of Dublin booked a suite in December for her recovery from a breast lift and tummy tuck to firm her figure after a 120-pound weight loss. She felt reassured, as did her family. "A hospital would have been considerably more and not nearly as comfortable," said the seminar presenter, 49. "I felt kind of decadent doing it, but for me it was a health issue."
Her son and daughter became nervous after the death of Donda West and tried to persuade their mother to recover in the hospital. She chose not to do so, Henry said, because of her experience when she was hospitalized after hernia surgery several years ago. "I almost never saw a nurse," she said. "My family had to take care of me." Dr. Holinga drove Henry to the hotel, where a nurse was waiting in an upper-floor room. Henry knew she had made the right decision, she said, after the pain medication wore off. She felt well enough the next day to lunch with family members, all of whom ordered from a special room-service menu developed by Holinga and the Hyatt chefs. "It was fun -- kind of a party atmosphere," Henry said. She paid $997 for two nights -- $798 for the room, $99 for leg pumps and $100 for meals. Holinga also delivered a meal that her patient ordered from Morton's the Steakhouse. The money was well-spent, Henry said. "It was peace of mind for me and my kids," she said.
So far, Holinga said, two men have used the suites -- one after a total body lift and the other after a face-lift. She expects the service to draw more men, who, because cosmetic surgery isn't as accepted for them, might want the added privacy. The number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United States since 1997 has increased 446 percent -- to about 11.5 million surgical and nonsurgical procedures in 2006, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Women had 92 percent of the procedures, with liposuction (403,684) and breast augmentation (383,886) the most popular. With at least 30 plastic surgeons in central Ohio, Holinga hopes to build her business to three patients at once. "It's getting busier all the time," she said. 
Boltz shows off her new look. Photo by Fred Squillante
Fast Fact: The number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United States since 1997 has increased 446 percent -- to about 11.5 million surgical and nonsurgical procedures in 2006.
Former nurse Joy Boltz, 60, of Reynoldsburg checked in last month after eyelid surgery and a face-lift by Shah. She ordered a different spa service each day -- including reflexology, a rubdown and a pedicure. Holinga washed her hair and reapplied her bandages. This is so comforting," Boltz said. "I'm not having to get up, wonder where the grandchildren are, fix any meals or do any laundry. "All I'm doing is resting and getting my strength back."
jsheban@dispatch.com
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