There are fundamental truths for every surgeon: One is that it is a great privilege to be a surgeon. All of us in our field should be cognizant of the trust that is placed in us.

Second, in every procedure it is the patient who takes a measure of risk, not the surgeon. We must always protect the patient.

At the same time, every surgeon, no matter how experienced or accomplished, must recognize that there are potentialities that can never be eliminated, or sometimes even be operative recovery is complete.

Just as a patient must be comfortable with his or her surgeon, the surgeon needs to be comfortable with the patient, his or her expectations, and the contributing circumstances of his or her life. Are there underlying issues? I'll spend over an hour or more with a prospective patient, sometimes addressing those very issues. There is such a thing as being in the proper frame of mind for any surgery.

I think much of the patient's surgery experience involves informed expectations -- or more importantly, counseling against unrealistic expectations. I devote much of my time to listening to and informing my patients about surgical options. That has a way of creating more realistic expectations, especially among patients who are undergoing surgery for the first time.

I think my practice is a special place: We have a very caring, attentive and professional staff. They are one of the reasons this practice is thriving. For me it's a pleasure to come to work every day.