Why I Do Every Surgery Three Times

Every surgery I perform, I actually perform three times.

Not because I repeat the operation—but because excellent surgical outcomes don’t happen by accident. They happen through planning, execution, and reflection. This three-stage process is intentional, and it’s one of the ways I work to continuously improve patient outcomes and surgical consistency.

Here’s what I mean.

The First Surgery: Planning Before the Operating Room

The first time I perform a surgery happens long before you ever enter the operating room.

This phase begins with the consultation. It’s where I listen carefully to your goals, assess your anatomy, and determine what is realistically achievable. It’s also where we align expectations—what surgery can do, what it cannot do, and how to get as close as possible to your desired outcome safely.

From there, the planning becomes very specific:

• Surgical approach and technique
• Incision placement
• Equipment, implants, and supplies
• Anticipation of anatomical challenges or prior surgery
• Contingency plans for variables we may encounter

I mentally walk through the entire operation step by step before surgery day. By the time we’re in the operating room, the procedure should feel familiar—not improvised.

Good surgery starts with preparation.

The Second Surgery: Performing the Operation

The second time I perform the surgery is when I’m actually operating.

This is where planning meets reality. Human anatomy is variable, and surgery requires constant decision-making in real time. My job in this phase is to execute the plan while adapting to what your body presents—tissue quality, scar patterns, symmetry, and response to surgical manipulation.

Because the planning has already been done, this phase is focused, deliberate, and efficient. That allows me to concentrate on precision, tissue handling, and fine details that directly affect healing and results.

The Third Surgery: Reviewing and Refining

The third time I perform the surgery happens after the procedure is over.

This is the reflection phase. I review each case and ask:

• What went particularly well?
• Were there any steps that could be smoother or more efficient?
• Are there small technical refinements that could improve the next case?
• How did the tissues respond, and how might that influence future planning?

This process is how surgical technique evolves. The “little finesse things” matter—sometimes more than the big decisions. And those refinements compound over time.

Every surgery informs the next one.

Why This Matters for Patients

This approach means that surgery is never static. Each operation benefits from:

• Careful preoperative planning
• Focused, intentional execution
• Continuous self-review and improvement

It’s also why outcomes tend to improve over time—not just for one patient, but across an entire practice.

Surgery is a craft as much as it is a science. The goal isn’t perfection in a single case—it’s consistent excellence built through repetition, reflection, and refinement.

That’s why every surgery I perform makes the next one better.

-Dr. Victoria Aimé