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CB Plastic Surgery Review of Dr. Brian Kinney - Assault and Battery
Dr. Brian Kinney - Assault and Battery

Dr. Brian Kinney - Assault and Battery review: Brian Kinney, md Butchered my Lips, Scarred Me and Disfgiured My Nose 7

J
Author of the review
2:52 pm EDT
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The results: Basically Dr. Kinney’s actions resulted in the following:

He literally butchered my lip tissue as opposed to only removing the granulomas. Consequently, I have permanent nerve damage and bluish marbled blood pooled in my lips, along with an unsightly scar bleeding through my lip border. Experts are telling me this is extremely difficult to fix my damaged Vermillion Border. Dr. Kinney told me, in my pre-op appointment, that I would sit with him the morning of my surgery and mark the “granulomas” from the inside of my lip to excise….this did not happen…he instead had the anesthesiologist stick a drip in my arm, of I don’t know what… it was most likely a sedative…I requested that a pen be given to me, so that I could carefully mark the granuloma that was to be excised. Only I could identify exactly where the granulomas were located in my lip and this was the specific purpose of my marking the specific areas…instead Dr. Kinney came over in a hasty manner…rushing…still in his suit and not in scrubs! He completely dismissed this critical procedure of marking, and handed me a pen not meant for marking tissue…just a regular black marker…he was rushing…I was lying down with an IV in my arm; it was so difficult with a tiny hand mirror! It was ridiculous…ink got all over my face and mouth…and they took me into the surgery room, with Dr. Kinney chiming, “we will have to wipe that off her face and re-mark it.”…and that’s all I remember…
He had no idea where to mark. We agreed in my Pre-Op that I would mark the granulomas…he marked me while under some kind of anesthesia…contrary to our agreement that I was to identify and mark the specific areas before the IV went in my arm…where he would be present to view precisely where to excise and exactly what to excise…but instead he just “made it up as he went along”…. Instead of excising the Granulomas from my lips, as originally planned, Dr. Kinney excised excessive healthy lip tissue for my lower left lip and cut through the vermillion border of my right lower lip. Aside from Dr. Kinney neglecting to remove the granulomas I now have a keloid scar where the lip border was cut, permanent numbing where too much healthy tissue was removed. The irony is that my current physicians tell me that they would have never attempted to excise the granulomas. It actually common knowledge (among surgeons of this type) that the Radiance, which caused the granulomas, would eventually dissolve over a period of time and excising them simply puts the patient under unnecessary risk.

Without my consent, he self-determined and performed a surgical procedure which elevated the tip of my nose.

When I questioned this in an email to him 2 days after my surgery, he did not reply, nor did he return my phone calls. But in an appointment the next day after that, to remove an enormous amount of gauze from my nose, of which unnecessarily prevented me from breathing, (this was 3 days after my surgery) he instead made a nervous presentation to my mother and I about the tip of my nose, then hastily and aggressively ripped the tightly glued on splint from my nose with his bare hands. No adhesive remover was used, no q-tip, no tweezers, no carefulness, no gentleness. These splints are supposed to stay on for at least 7 days. He had no reason to tear and rip it off from my face, but did so in a hasty attempt to try to gain my consent to elevate the tip… after the surgery…after it had already been done. I have two witnesses to this act. again, this was only three days after surgery, completely compromising the healing process of this delicate layer of skin, which he had completely freed during surgery. There was no use of Detachol®, , set aside any kind of gentle finessing to detach the adhesive or to remove the splint. The correct and standard procedure to remove a splint after nose surgery must be done at least 7-10 days after surgery and with the Detachol® adhesive remover, a Q-Tip and very fine tweezers. This procedure must be executed slowly and very carefully.

The consequence of this was instantaneous, massive swelling the size and shape of a Russet potato and enormous bruising, which lasted for three months. After seeking a remedy to the bulging scars and on-going pain caused by his ripping off the splint, my current physicians concur that Dr. Kinney had absolutely no reason to separate the skin up to my orbital socket in the first place, as I consented to only remove a small piece of cartilage from my bridge. He obviously did a lot more than that, without my approval or discussion before surgery.
Mind you, I did not have any bones broken in the surgery with Kinney…and therefore was not supposed to have this enormous disfigurement, scarring, bulging, months of pain, etc…Even the patients who have major nose surgery do not come out of surgery looking the way I did, and suffering the pain that I did. Currently, I have scar tissue, swelling, deformity and other problems, which still remain. My current physicians tell me that this is a result of a substantial Hematoma and internal bleeding which occurred as a result of Dr. Kinney ripping off the splint.

During the months after my surgery, I questioned Dr. Kinney many times regarding my physical condition, about the massive swelling disfigurement and bruising, the enormous pain that persisted, he refused to prescribe anything for the pain or refer me to a specialist and why he altered the structure of my nose, etc. My queries were ignored or rebuffed every step of the way. He emotionally abused me and deflected from his responsibility to me and the injuries he caused...

Currently, I actively seek remedies for the above stated conditions. This is an arduous, time consuming and expensive task. It has side tracked my life completely. I have become socially reclusive at a time in a woman’s life when she seeks marriage and wants to start a family. I have not been able to become gainfully re-employed as a fitness trainer because of the painful condition caused by the hematoma in my nose. My modeling and acting have also come to a standstill for the same reason(s) and as well the alteration of the structure of my nose has rendered most of my modeling portfolio photos moot. My financial life is in shambles as a result of this. The only resolve thus far has been that GE Money, the financial services company which financed these surgical procedures, have both credited and closed-out my account and have refunded me the entire amount of payments I had remitted during the first three months after surgery. They reviewed my complete file history, photos, letters to Dr. Kinney, etc and realizing what travesty had been heaped upon me, determined that Dr. Kinney had seriously erred.

I have accumulated a tremendous amount of evidence to support the above, including:
1. My entire history chart, where Dr. Kinney memorializes this in self-incriminating notes
2. Documents from the company that manufactures Mastisol and clearly instructs medical professionals on the proper use and removal of the adhesive ( Dr. Kinney’s use of Mastisol is in the chart notes)
3. Post surgical photos of excessive healthy tissue that had been excised.
4. Statements from witnesses and names of Dr. Kinney’s employees who were present during my surgery and post surgical visits
5. Emails and correspondence to and from Dr. Kinney.
6. Bills, diagnostic and treatment notes from my current physicians clearly identifying the source of my current medical condition, which resulted from Dr. Kinney’s procedures and post surgical actions.
7. Dr. Kinney’s ‘promises’ should have been detailed and memorialized in the consent form. I have discovered that Dr. Kinney essentially traps a patient into a financial obligation by submitting a consent form for the patient’s signature, a day prior to the scheduled surgery. I was contractually obliged to the surgery by signing an agreement which stipulated that surgery fees must be fully paid two weeks prior to the surgery. What this meant was that GE Money sent funds to Dr. Kinney prior to the procedures actually being performed, automatically and instantly, consequently creating a financial obligation, prior to receiving services. If I had cancelled the surgery, for any reason, (i.e. I did not agree with the consent form), then I would was still financially obliged to surgery fees, which escalate to as much as 75% of the total fee. Therefore, I was held hostage to signing Dr. Kinney’s consent form, whether or not I agreed to all the stipulations of the consent form…. Which of course was written with a character of ambiguity which favors whatever Dr. Kinney determined was ‘appropriate’ while I was under his knife.
8. Currently, I have complaint filed with the Medical Board of California regarding the entire matter and will send you a copy of it if you so desire a review.

In Summation:
My case is not about an ‘aesthetic standpoint’. It is about Dr. Kinney disfiguring and injuring me…. you can see in the post-op photos of me looking like I was punched in the face with a 100 pound brick. As a result, I not only have suffered from all the pain…but my breathing is damaged and I am still having problems from the painful scar tissue both externally and internally to my nose. This breathing problem is causing me headaches and fatigue, as I can’t get enough air to my lungs as well as pressure over my sinuses. I am in need of costly corrective surgery…My current physicians have disclosed that I am required to have, what is called, an “open nose surgery” as well as a surgery to correct the keloid scar on my lip, where I have permanent nerve damage caused by over excision by Dr. Kinney.

Regarding the surgical procedure on my nose; I consented with Dr. Kinney to only remove a small piece of cartilage on the bridge of my nose, nothing else. This is evidenced in further review of my patient chart. It is clear that Dr. Kinney’s blatantly abused of my patient rights is documented in my consent forms, patient charts and Dr. Kinney’s own notes. According to the Medical Board, performing a specific procedure, as the “elevation of a nasal tip”, is below the standard of care, if my consent to do so was never provided.

I have been consumed with finding a remedy and needed to fully understanding the complexities of what Dr. Kinney’s action have caused. I spent the better half of the first six months, after my surgeries, attempting to communicate with Dr. Kinney as to the why all this happened and truly wanted to believe that all the swelling and disfigurement was temporary. It was not until mid summer that I realized that Dr. Kinney had royally screwed up and that I would actually have to resort to restorative surgeries.

7 comments
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joe
Sep 19, 2008 3:26 pm EDT

What were you doing in here in the first place? Low self esteem?

Lucille
Lucille
Forestdale, US
Oct 04, 2008 10:58 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Thank you for sharing your horrific experience in this public venue. My heart goes out to you. I understand too well how unscrupulous surgeons operate and try to make injured patients believe serious injury is "normal". This is reprehensible.

Also, I find the comment posted by Joe to be quite offensive.

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Helen
Nov 21, 2008 3:08 am EST

Dr. Brian Kinney in Century City, CA is the WORST doctor. I agree. Anyone who's reading this: Stay Away From Brian Kinney, MD.

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letsmereal
FR
Jul 30, 2009 8:55 am EDT

I worked for this guy for one year and I can tell you that he has ZERO talent and should NOT be a surgeon. All I did while working there was dealing with unhappy patients that he was overcharging. He's a good talker and has a HUGE ego but he is not professional, has horrible beside manners. Anyway, he does not really care about the results girls. He just wants to pocket the money... so the can pay the late fees on this morgage...

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In the Know 37
Beverly Hills, US
Sep 15, 2011 3:36 am EDT

I work in this field for a very well respected surgeon. I can not stress enough on doing your research, consulting with at least 3 surgeons, and pay for each and every consultation. People approach plastic surgery as if they are buying a car. Its ridiculous, and shameful. If you bargain for your surgery, you bargain for results as well. Helpful tips; make sure the surgeon you choose has been in practice at least 15 years, and I mean this. They will have made enough mistakes at this point in their career as a surgeon and know what to avoid. This person should also be a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Look at their websites for before and after photos, make them quote you prices over the phone. And be referred by someone who has had surgery with the surgeon you are considering, or speak to a patient who has. You get what you pay for.

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leahla
Long Beach, US
Jan 10, 2013 1:57 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have been fitness, swimsuit and glamour modeling part-time for many years; see www.maxim.com/hometown-hotties/leah-long-beach-ca-0 for example. Why does that matter? Because, quite literally, my face and body were my bread and butter for many years. So when I chose a surgeon, it was imperative that I chose the absolute best there is. I've quietly done so for years, but now I had to write something, as I saw recent vitriolic garbage written about my doctor and really needed to respond.

Dr. Brian Kinney has done my thigh area liposuction, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, knee lift, sweat gland ablation, Botox, lip augmentation, and nasolabial folds filler (whew!). He is the ONLY person who I let work on me, and he's kept me looking and feeling my best for nearly a decade now. He's honest when things aren't needed or wouldn't help me look/feel great, and he doesn't perform procedures unless necessary, helpful, safe and sane.

Beyond his phenomenal scientific prowess and artistic taste, he's provided sharp insight, friendly consult, and genuine concern for matters of health, appearance and happiness over the years. He's never charged me for all the time spent making sure I'm content and comfortable with all that we do and do not do. I'm 36 as of this writing, and thanks to Dr. Brian Kinney, I'm still turning heads everywhere I go! More importantly that that, I feel confident and happy, and NO ONE ever thinks I've had anything "done." They simply think I look astoundingly hot, LOL. I'll continue trusting him, and ONLY him, with my face and body for decades to come.

The ONLY reason I've bothered to write this commentary tonight is that it pains me to see Ms. lies posted about someone whose only mistake was to treat someone to whom he ought to have refused service. Because Dr. Brian Kinney is so very friendly, the person who wrote these dishonest and fake "reviews" (they aren't even real, and could be removed by law if the issue were to be forced at great cost and hassle, I'm sure) was able to cause problems and then disparage one of the best people in the business. The real story, a resounding victory for Dr. Kinney in a court of law against this disgrace of a patient, is a matter of public record and can easily be discovered if any potential patient wants to read what really happened.

I trust that within the word-of-mouth circles of patients who demand the highest quality in cosmetic surgery skill, Dr. Kinney will continue to be lauded as one of the best there is, plain and simple. And that, therefore, falsehoods such as the ones on this site will not succeed in causing the damage intended. I had to write a response, as it so angered me that someone would try to harm a doctor who's done so well by me, and by so many others (for example, my friend who's currently gracing Oxygen Magazine's "Abs Special 2012" issue).

SHAME on Ms., who lied in a weak attempt to do damage; her efforts will fail.

And to all of you who want a body and face like mine...just call Dr. Kinney (okay, eat right and exercise also; Dr. Kinney is good but not a magician!). His work has made me a happy woman for almost 10 years now, and I trust nobody but him to keep me looking my best.

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CaliDoll
US
Jul 08, 2017 5:53 am EDT

Wow! All of this is scary! Well, Dr. Kinney was my surgeon 15 years ago when I chose to get breast implants. I'd researched doctors and he had the best information and resume. He did an excellent job however I remember my blood levels dropped and I had to go to the emergency room a few days after.. don't know why... but, the surgery, the implants were awesome. No1 has ever known my breasts were implants he did such a great job. I didn't have any issues until now. It's time to re-do them. I think they have hit their shelf life of 15 years and I looked him up to see if he was still practicing and then I see all of this. Hmmm... My experience was great, he was really nice and caring then and I will be going to see him again. I just hope in all these years his work hasn't suffered.