Robert Kotler MD reviews and complaints

I feel that I must express my complaint here in hopes of saving a potential patient from choosing this doctor. I have lived in Beverly Hills for several years and I have dealt with some of the kindest most caring doctors. I have never encountered a doctor like this. Not only did he botch the revision work upon his promises that he could correct it, but he left me in a worse situation than he encountered me - with a situation that can't be corrected for years to come. He actually laughed at me while I sat in his office crying over my disappointment, which was shocking to say the least. He refused to take any responsibility for his poor work and refused to reimburse me any of the money he pocketed. I have had other doctors who, when not having given satisfactory results, they've acted with integrity and took responsibility to even the score, not this guy! Further their office has actually maligned other Beverly Hills doctors in my presence. (Something I'd never experienced before) Be aware that Yelp is a paid for service and will clean up negative reviews when paid for by the subject to do so: hence the reason that those reviews are all so squeaky clean and yet there are so many complaints here... MY ADVICE IS TO RUN AWAY FROM THIS MAN AS FAST AS YOU CAN! We are all human and heir to our frailties, I know. But when given the responsibility of precious lives who trust in you and your scalpel while you are so prosperous to be a surgeon in this town, it's most unfortunate when there is not the humility of compassion for the ones that are left in a deficit position...

Read Dr Robert Kotler's shameful rant in response to my review of failed surgical outcome at his clinical practice (Dec 11, 2011):
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/rhinoplasty-beverly-hills-california-c505812.html#c1135653

RESPONSE TO DR ROBERT KOTLER, BEVERLY HILLS:

There is probably nothing more sad, and more revealing to a patient, than a doctor who bullies patient feedback. Who would want medical services from a doctor like that? I don't appear to be the only unhappy patient of Dr Robert Kotler in Beverly Hills, but according to Dr Kotler, his patients are not allowed to submit any feedback that contain a complaint. Else they face accusations of "libel, defamation and extortion" from the doctor. The website too is apparently involved in "extortion", according to Dr Robert Kotler of Beverly Hills.

I can assure that my review and complaint about my surgery at Dr Robert Kotler's clinic in Beverly Hills, California, is accurate and is not exaggerated or faulty. I can only suggest that patients bring a video camera to their appointments with Dr Kotler in the future to avoid frivolous threats. Dr Kotler implies that my review is "libel" and "malicious". There is no libel at all in my review. I am a patient who ended with failed surgery that gave me problems and costs. How malicious is that? There have been no personal attacks or defamation, only my experience as a patient at Dr Kotler's practice. It is not illegal to provide feedback on business services. If it offends Dr Kotler he could have asked for removal of it after taking due responsibility and offers for revision surgery by a proper Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. But he has never offered to take responsibility for his mistakes, nor asked for any removal of content. Nor does the site allow any editing of content.

REBUTTAL against Dr Kotler's libelous claims:
1. Dr Kotler disputes my statement that his practice basically portrayed him to be "the best" surgeon under the sun [see pt 8]. The statement is descriptive, of course, but there are no inaccuracies to this at all. I actually have these exaggerated promises in writing from Dr Robert Kotler's own clinic. They would hold up in any court procedure and demonstrate that I was over-promised skills that were simply not there.

2. If Dr Kotler is well established and highly respected in the medical field, why would he be bothered about one small review? My review was certainly not vicious or personal. I hardly think the review is responsible for any loss of reputation or business to Dr Kotler if he truly has "thousands" of happy patients. Where are the patient reviews from all these thousands of patients? The only ones I found seem to be fake paid reviews by a marketing company.
If patients are only permitted to post untrue rosy reviews about a doctor without telling other patients the truth, how reliable is the surgeon? If the doctor has real and actual "loss" of business (doubtful statement) it is rather competition and the recession that is the cause, not one review. My personal losses have been considerable due to Dr Kotler's mistakes. He doesn't care.
Huffington Post: "Plastic Surgery In Decline In U.S. Due To Recession Spending Worries"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/21/plastic-surgery-in-decline_n_507387.html

3. Dr Kotler disputes my claim that non-FDA approved silicon was used in the procedure, causing problems. The silicon use was brought to my attention by another unhappy patient of Dr Kotler's. The doctor insist I am lying and writes, "The product is FDA-approved for use inside the eyeball to help correct a detached retina."
Should a patient need to give anatomical lessons to a surgeon?! When has the nose become an eyeball? I contacted FDA and was told that any medication used specifically outside the licensed approval (eyeball), is termed OFF LABEL use and is therefore not FDA approved. FDA has approved the silicon injections only to correct a detached retina, NOT for rhinoplasty corrections. Correct me if I am wrong but last time I checked my retina was not in my nasal tip.
My legal right is not to be used as a guinea pig but to be properly informed about medicines or substances used on me (especially non-FDA ones) and any risks they may pose in the procedure. I was not informed that silicon was used at all. I came for rhinoplasty not medical experiments. Silicon was not even mentioned when I was injected with it. I was only informed of this later.

Dr Kotler is a former Regional Consultant and Commissioner for the MEDICAL BOARD of California. How scary is that?! A surgeon who bullies and threatens his patients is the actual FORMER COMMISSIONER AND REGIONAL CONSULTANT for the MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA that is suppose to protect patients and monitor doctors!
Rest assure that in any lawsuit I will have scientific references disputing your use of silicon in rhinoplasty. But those would be references from real plastic surgeons, not from a COSMETIC surgeon that is not a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (I wish I would have known the difference before I scheduled my surgery. But I didn't know and thought it was the same thing. Another one of your unhappy patients pointed it out to me).

COSMETIC vs PLASTIC surgeon (Dr Kotler is a COSMETIC surgeon and NOT a Board Certified PLASTIC surgeon):
One surgeon states, "Believe it or not, there are medical practitioners including GP's, dermatologists and general surgeons who are calling themselves cosmetic surgeons, and some, even Plastic surgeons. Not only is this dishonest, it's potentially life threatening to the patient.
A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon has had rigorous training for between 6 and 8 years or longer after medical school on all aspects of surgery and plastic surgery. As such, they represent the gold standard for plastic surgeons. All plastic surgeons are cosmetic surgeons but not all cosmetic surgeons are plastic surgeons."

4. Dr Kotler indeed promised that results would be very similar to the morphed photograph we discussed. I insisted that I would cancel the surgery appointment if it was not achievable. He assured it was fully plausible and he knew what he was doing. Apparently he didn't know. When I pressured for a more clarity, he said exact results may not be possible but estimated 90% similarity. Fact is: there is no similarity with my results and the projections during consultation. Not at all. And photos will prove that in any court case. I did not pay for deformities. I now have deformities after surgery, recovery and major costs.

5. Dr Kotler told me in consultation that nearly half of his patients come to him for revision after bad surgery elsewhere. He had no bars to critique other surgeons, but cannot take any form of criticism of his own work performance. I am not the only patient complaining, but it appears the doctor - a FORMER COMMISSIONER AND REGIONAL CONSULTANT for the MEDICAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA - threatens and bullies his patients if they give honest reviews and lies that they commit extortion. No extortion at all has happened.

6. My friend estimated that the surgery took "about an hour" and was surprised how quick it was considering what I paid for the surgery. Dr Kotler argues that this is a lie. It is not. Here is Dr Kotler's own calculation of the time: Preparations, 15-20 minutes. Surgery, 45-60 minutes. Awakening, 5-10 minutes. Safety checks and last stitches, 15-20 minutes.
That makes it 1.20 hrs ("about an hour", exactly as my friend said) or up to 1.50 hrs. I was still coming out of sedation when my friend met me.

7. Dr Kotler posts libel against my review by falsely claiming that patients like myself are, "hoping to extort money or whatever from professionals who do take pride in their work and reputation in the community." How callous and offensive! Did I perform failed surgery at exorbitant fees on Dr Kotler or the other way around? Is a statement that Dr Kotler needs to take responsibility for any poor surgery he performs extortion, libel or false? Does responsibility not come with the medical profession? Should a patient accept Dr Kotler's occasional failures at their own cost and burden?

8. Dr Kotler, who clearly is arrogant beyond words, indicates in his rebuttal that not even a single patient has complained about their results:
("since 1989 the practice has provided computer imaging to nearly every patient and no patient has ever returned to the office and complained that their computer imaged, pre-op photo surgical result was not a reasonable depiction of the actual outcome"). I have read comments from other patients that speak otherwise. So it is then assumed that Dr Kotler does indeed believe that he is one of "the best" surgeons in Beverly Hills and touts this, although he denies it in his rebuttal. In our consultation I was told that almost HALF of his surgeries were correctional procedures of mistakes by OTHER surgeons that only "he" could resolve. Dr Kotler, who portrayed himself as all-knowing and the best there don't have even ONE complaint from his outcome. He is wrong. He ignores to acknowledge MY complaint and rejects it.

9. Last but not least, Dr Kotler refutes my claims that his clinic aggressively pursued me for payment immediately after consultation. Again I stated the truth. In fact, Dr Kotler's clinic was so aggressive in their pursuit for advance payment (long before their required "down payment"), that I began to wonder if he was cash short! My friends even made jokes about it. His receptionist kept calling and pestering me for payment several times, leaving multiple messages on my voice mail. I had barely left the clinic after my first consultation when demands for money began! It gave a poor impression. Dr Kotler's clinic state; "We don’t operate like a commission-driven used car lot." No? They sure behaved like it.
Again, in a legal dispute, my statement can be proven with copies of my payment, extracts from records of messages and phone calls from Dr Kotler's clinic.

Dr Kotler's rebuttal demonstrates poor medical ethics. And rather than putting you in a good light, it truly shows what kind of doctor you are.

[Note: Complaints Board has never contacted me to ask me to remove anything. Nor do they allow editing of a post should I want to change or delete anything]