Plastic Surgeon in Palo Alto, California

Information on board certified plastic surgeon in Palo Alto - San Jose. Info on credentials, background, certification, experience, education and more.

About Dr. Commons

• Curriculum vitae
• Personal Statement

Born:

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Education:

Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania
B.S., Chemistry, Cum Laude

University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(Oldest medical school in America and ranked in the top 3 for the past 40 years.)

Honors and Societies:

Alpha Omega Alpha
Santa Clara County Medical Society Association
Honorary Philippines Plastic Surgical Association
Military Plastic Surgical Association
American Board of Plastic Surgery (Certified)
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Member of California Medial Association
Stanford University School of Medicine
Clinical Faculty-Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor 2009
(Plastic Surgery Department, Stanford University Hospital) Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
California Society of Plastic Surgeons

Medical Training and Experience:

Stanford University

• Stanford University Medical Center Intern in Surgery
• Stanford University Medical Center Fellow in Plastic Surgery and Rehabilitation
• Stanford University Medical Center Resident in General and Plastic Surgery
• Stanford University Medical Center Chief Resident in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

United States Military U.S. Air Force

• Honorary Citizen of the Philippines (Governor Valencia, Pampanga Province)
• United States Air Force Hospital, Clark Air Force Base, Republic of the Philippines, Chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Clark Air Force Base, Medical Civic Action Program Director
• Consultant in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy in the Far East
• Consultant in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Central Luzon General Hospital. San Fernando, Republic of Philippines
• Consultant and Lecturer, University of the Far East, Manila, Republic of the Philippines
• Consultant to the Philippine Air Force, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Surgeon-in-Charge, U.S. Air Force, Philippine Air Force, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rehabilitation Program for Underprivileged Children

Military Status:

• Major, United States Air Force (Inactive Reserves) (16 years) Recipient-U.S. Air Force Accommodation Medal

Staff Appointments:

Palo Alto Center for Plastic Surgery Medical Director 2008
www.pacfps.com www.paloaltocenterforplasticsurgery.com

Stanford University Hospital 1976-2008
El Camino Hospital 1976-2008
Sequoia Hospital 1976-2008
Menlo Park Surgical Hospital 1994-2008
Plastic Surgery Center Medical Director 1990-2008
a California State licensed, Federal licensed and Stanford University approved facility. Dr. Commons daily teaches Stanford 7th year chief residents the art and science of plastic surgery. It is important to note, however, that Dr. Commons does 100% of his own private cases completely by himself.

Organizations:

Member of California Medial Association
Member of Santa Clara County Medial Society
Stanford University School of Medicine
Clinical Faculty-Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor 2009
(Plastic Surgery Department, Stanford University Hospital) American Board of Plastic Surgery Inc. (Certified)
Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
California Society of Plastic Surgeons
Alpha Omega Alpha
Honorary Philippines Plastic Surgical Association
Military Plastic Surgical Association
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Research Experience:

Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase in superior mesenteric artery occlusion.

Combination of various steroids with rabbit anti-mouse ALS in skin graft prolongation.

Effects of rabbit anti-dog ALS in combination with various steroid preparation in canine renal graft polongation.

Microsurgery, rat renal transplantation, study of the effects of nephritis on transplant immunity.

Production and evaluation of rabbit anti-rat nephtotoxic sera.

Evaluation of the role of tetracycline-boron compounds in transplantation biology. Murine skin grafts serve as the tissue of transplantation. Neutron beam irradiation techniques were applied in the project.

Evaluation of the effect of rabbit anti-mouse lymphocyte serum on wound healing via tensiometric studies on murine transverse abdominal wounds.

Pre- and post-treatment evaluation of the malignant melanoma cases at Stanford Hospital.

Evaluation of wound healing in primary-primary, secondary-secondary, and primary-secondary edges.

Clinical studies of the pre- and post-operative nerve conduction studies carpal tunnel patient.

Clinical evaluation of 450 cleft lip and cleft palate patients in the Republic of the Philippines.

Clinical evaluation of the effects of betel nut on the oral mucosa in the Republic of the Philippines.

Evaluation of a reduction mammoplasty candidate by a pre- and post-operative mammography.

Evaluation of the use of the inner table of the skull as a graft for closure of cribiform plate deformities secondary to meningoencephalocele.

Anatomical studies of the tribelly deep superficial flexor tendon of the hand.

Publications-Bibliography:

"Studies in Wound Healing". Surgical Forum:
(Co-author)

British Journal of Plastic Surgery: July, l974. “Transplantation of the Great Toeto the Thumb”. (Co-author)

Safety in Large Volume Liposuction: Anesthetic and Surgical Considerations
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. (Co-author) Copyright 1995, l996
Lipotransformation Surgery Surgical and Anesthetic Technology for Ultrasonic Assisted Large Volume Liposuction California Society for Plastic Surgeons, Inc. (Co-Author) Copyright l997

1994 to 2008 Presentations of Large Volume Liposuction Papers-
Lipolysis Society of North America, Inc.

1995 to 2008 Aesthetic Society-Two hour course on Large Volume Liposuction

1996-2008 Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction pre-clinical trial
UAL Instruction l997-March ’97 University of
San Francisco, California
March ’97 Cleveland Clinic Foundation Course
May ’97 Aesthetic Society of Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery New York City UAL course

1997 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.
May 2-7, l997 New York City, New York
Deep Plane Facial Rhytidectomy

1997 UAL Paper and Demonstration
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.
Symposium on Aesthetic Surgery Featuring Live Surgery
Davies Medical Center, San Francisco, CA

Large Volume Liposuction (670 cases) with UAL
discussion of 57 cases (Aesthetic Plastic Surgery)

Temp studies in UAL -To Aesthetic Plastic Society

Report of 74 cases of UAL with emphasis on
complications and prevention and the UAL effect.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

1998 Anesthesiologist’s Manual of Surgical Procedures,
First Edition, Editors Richard A. Jaffee, Stanley
I. Samuels, “Aesthetic Surgery” “Liposuction” Pg 812-814
George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Bruce Halperin, M.D.

1999 “Large Volume Liposuction: A Review of 631 Cases Over
12 Consecutive Years”, George W. Commons, M.D, and Bruce Halperin, M.D. The largest article in the world’s literature on this subject.

April l999 “Safety Issues in Ultrasound-Assisted Large-Volume Lipoplasty”, George W. Commons, M.D., and Bruce Halperin, M.D. Clinics in Plastic Surgery 26:2 pp 317-335.

April 1999 “A Comparison of Various Ultrasound Technologies”, George W. Commons, M.D.,
Clinics in Plastic Surgery 26:2 pp.261-268.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery article on liposuction
instrumentation and large volume liposuction 700+ cases
(to be published end of Summer, l999).

ASAPS News Release, Tuesday, May 18, l999 Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction Experience Shows Both Pluses and Minuses, George W. Commons, M.D. and
Bruce Halperin, M.D.
Aesthetics Surgery Journal’s May/June l999 Second Thoughts column, “Alterations in Large Volume Liposuction Policy” by George W. Commons, M.D.
and Bruce Halperin, M.D.

June 2000 “Role of Liposuction in Morbid Obesity” by George W.
Commons, M.D., and Bruce D. Halperin, M.D.
Problems in General Surgery Volume 17, No. 2 pp 69-79

May 2002 “Considerations in Large-Volume Liposuction” by George
W. Commons, M.D. and Bruce D. Halperin, M.D.,
Seminars in Plastic Surgery Volume 16, No 2 pp 143-152

2003 Anesthesiologist’s Manual of Surgical Procedures,
Second Edition, Editors Richard A. Jaffee, Stanley
I. Samuels, “Aesthetic Surgery” “Liposuction” Pg 820-835
George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Bruce Halperin, M.D.

2005 Anesthesiologist’s Manual of Surgical Procedures,
Third Edition, Editors Richard A. Jaffee, Stanley
I. Samuels, “Aesthetic Surgery” “Liposuction” Pg 830-852
George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Bruce Halperin, M.D.

2008 Anesthesiologist’s Manual of Surgical Procedures,
Fourth Edition, Editors Richard A. Jaffee, Stanley
I. Samuels, “Aesthetic Surgery” “Liposuction” Pg 798-823
George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Bruce Halperin, M.D.

2008 "Face & Neck Remodeling with Ultrasound Assisted (Vaser)
Lipoplasty", George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S. and
Alberto Di Giuseppe, M.D. Simplified Facial Rejuvenation, Melvin A.
Shiffman, M.D., Chapter 16, pp 137-148

Invited Lecturer:

Plastic Surgery Society
1996
Pre Clinical Trial Group for Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction
Selection by UAL Committee of the Plastic Surgical Society

American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
1991 to 2002
California Society of Plastic Surgery
1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Subject: Safety Issues in Liposuction and Facial Surgery

Cleveland Clinical Plastic Surgery Symposium
l997
Miami, Florida
Subject: Progress in Ultrasonic Liposuction

Horizons in Plastic Surgery
1999
Subject: Safety in Large Volume. Results in Large Volume Liposuction

Santa Fe Body Contour Symposium
1998
Subject: Large Volume Ultrasonic Liposuction

New York Plastic Surgery Society
1999
Subject: Safety and Efficiency in Large Volume Liposuction

Aesthetic Society Lecturer and Instructor
Stanford Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction Courses at:
U.C. San Francisco Medical School-1997 to 2002
Stanford University Medical School-1998 (Director)
New York City-1999
UCLA-Los Angeles-1997
Dallas, Texas-1999
Miami, Florida-2000

Course Director
Subject: Safety in Liposuction, including Large Volume Liposuction at Aesthetic Society
1992 to 2006

Course Director
Subject: Safety in Facial Surgery
1995 to 2006-Aesthetic Society Meeting

Stanford Grand Surgeon Rounds
1997 to 2007
Subject: Large Volume Liposuction Comprehensive Discussion

Recovery Inn of Menlo Park
2000 to 2007
Subject: Large Volume Liposuction and UAL Liposuction Inservice

Pan Pacific Surgical Meeting
Honolulu, Hawaii
January 2000
UAL course director
Subject: Liposuction, Facelift and Associated Procedures
UAL Large Volume Liposuction

Taiwan Plastic Surgery Society
December 15, 16, 17, 18, 2000
Taipei, Taiwan
Subject: Safety Issues in Liposuction and Facial Surgery Course Director-2 days-Ultrasonic Assisted Liposuction/with live surgery by Drs. Commons and Bruce Halperin

New York City Annual ASAPS & ASER
May 3-9, 2001
Subject: Surviving and Avoiding Disaster, Complications, and Death in the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Operating Room by Drs. Commons, and Bruce Halperin

California Society of Plastic Surgeons
Lipoplasty Update Panel
Rancho Mirage, California
May 25, 2002 to May 26, 2002

University of California San Francisco
UAL and Large Volume Liposuction Lecture
San Francisco, CA
September 28, 2002

American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
Facelift and Liposuction Lecturer-5 Courses
New York, New York
October 22, 2002 to October 26, 2002

Vaser® Liposuction Discussion/Lecture
Introduction William Cimino, PhD
George W. Commons, M.D.
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
September 25, 2004

Sound Surgical Technologies Sponsor
Plastic Surgery Center
1515 El Camino Real Suite A
Palo Alto, CA 94306
George W. Commons, M.D.-Lecture and Surgical Vaser® Course
March 13, 2004

Sound Surgical Technologies Sponsor
Elite Surgery Center Del Mar
San Diego, CA
George W. Commons, M.D.-Lecture and Surgical Vaser® Course
July 10, 2004

ASAPS & ASERF Vancouver Meeting
Precision in Lipoplasty: Clinical Applications of Vaser® Ultrasonic
Lipoplasty Technology
George W. Commons, M.D.-Lecturer
April 19, 2004

ASAPS & ASERF New Orleans Meeting
Precision in Lipoplasty: Clinical Applications of Vaser® Ultrasonic
Lipoplasty Technology
George W. Commons, M.D.-Lecturer
May 2, 2005

ASAPS & ASERF
Maximizing Patient Safety During Aesthetic Surgery
Annual Meeting
Orlando, Florida
April 20-26, 2006

Stanford Conference Lecturer
Plastic Surgery Department
Stanford Medical Hospital
August 2, 2006

ASAPS & ASERF
Maximizing Patient Safety During Aesthetic Surgery
By George W. Commons, M.D. & Bruce Halperin, M.D.
(Stanford Chief Resident to Participate)
“Advanced Applications of Ultrasonic Lipopasty”
Co-instructor for teaching course-George W. Commons, M.D. with Mark Jewell, M.D.
New York, NY
April 19-24, 2007

2008 Research Publication Hyperhidrosis Correction via Sound Surgical Vaser LipoSelection®
(to be published in 2008)

2008 Clinical Review Article of 931 Cases of Large Volume Liposuction Cases Performed by George W. Commons, M.D. and anesthesiologist, Bruce Halperin, M.D. from 1992 to 2008. (Largest series in the world literature to date.)

Clinical Education-ASAPS Teaching Course Videotapes

1998 Surgical and Anesthetic Techniques for Large Volume Liposuction
(UAL and SAL)

2000 Panel-Complications and Long-term Results of Lipoplasty

2000 Surgical and Anesthetic Techniques for Large Volume Liposuction
(UAL and/or SAL)

2000 Health Benefits of Large Volume Liposuction

2002 (Dean Edell) Special on George W. Commons, M.D. & Large Volume Liposuction

Clinical Education-Teleplast Videotape American Society of Plastic Surgeons
and Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation

2000 EF Teleplast: Large Volume Liposuction

Stanford Clinics

Stanford Hospital Plastic Surgery Resident Program
Teach residents in Plastic Surgery
Since 1990 to present

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Personal Statement

By George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S.

As a youth, becoming a doctor was a distant dream for me. I spent my early years in western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh. My mother taught me a great appreciation for music. My father led the way in the beauty of wildlife, nature, sports and photography. Both had the greatest appreciation of intensive academic achievement. My mother was a pianist, so I became a pianist and considered that as a career. A liberal arts education with a degree in chemistry at Allegheny College and a Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine followed.

After obtaining my M.D. degree I interned in surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Once at Stanford University, I was in awe of the plastic surgical genius of Robert Chase, M.D. and Donald Laub, M.D. Over a five-year period following my internship, I completed a residency program in Plastic Surgery. After Stanford there were two years in the U.S. Air Force in the Philippines (Clark Air Force Base). This was my first experience in making people's lives better by applying the skills I learned through my many years of education. There I performed over 500 procedures on burned children and children with cleft lips during the two years.

On return from Air Force life, I established a plastic surgery practice in Palo Alto and was a clinical faculty member at Stanford. Today my position as an adjunct assistant professor of surgery at the Stanford University Medical Center (Plastic Surgery) allows me the joy of working with residents. Surgery is my true passion, and I continue to find great joy in improving people's lives through cosmetic surgery.

From My Heart about My Practice

For this first issue, I would simply like to talk a little bit about my surgical training and viewpoint.

Training and Experience

I have been practicing plastic surgery in Palo Alto for over 25 years. My medical school was the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the first established medical school in the U.S. I graduated Alpha Omega Alpha (top 10% of class) and then came to Stanford University for my general surgery, plastic surgery, and plastic surgery fellowship. I served as a Major in the United States Air Force (Chief of Plastic Surgery, USAF Clark-Philippines Islands) for 2 years of active duty and 14 years in the reserves. I am a member of the Clinical Faculty at Stanford University and enjoy teaching residents.

I have done all types of plastic surgery and over the past 20 years I have focused on aesthetic cosmetic plastic surgery. I plan to continue my practice in Palo Alto and teaching at Stanford for at least another 15 years. In general, plastic surgeons like what they do and rarely retire early.

Earning your Trust

Because plastic surgery is usually elective, you can take time to choose your surgeon carefully. I hope to earn your trust.

At the Plastic Surgery Center we have a full-time 6th year Stanford resident in plastic surgery. I do 100% of the surgery on my own patients and help the residents do surgery on their own cases.

I love the practice of plastic surgery, I love the patients, I love everyday. It is not in any way work. My practice is a joy, totally a pleasure; very serious but always joyful.

The serious part is that I daily take on the task of improving a person's life. It is their life. It is their only life. They are trusting me to do the best possible for them. That is the goal of a facelift, or breast surgery, or nasal surgery, or liposuction-to enhance the quality of a person's life. This is a very major and grave responsibility. I am honored by each patient that selects me as their surgeon. This is an honor of the highest order. A person is entrusting me with their surgery, entrusting me to enhance the quality of their life, to keep them safe, to care for them after surgery and to care about them 100%.

This is joyful surgery that the patient has elected. The surgery is not imposed on them by a cruel twist of injury or illness. The patient has chosen this and the responsibility placed on the plastic surgeon is one of the very highest order.

Some call it recreational surgery. Yes it is fun surgery but with a very very serious mission. The plastic surgeon must rise to this mission. Every evening I study and mentally prepare for the surgery of the coming day. I want to know everything before entering the operating room. All plans must be formulated in my mind.

While preparing for surgery at the scrub sink (10 minutes of hand washing) I like to think that I am about to pilot a Boeing 747 on a mission. The flight will go well or not at my hand. I never deny adverse events could happen. Yes, even to me I say. My mission and my responsibility are grave. I am operating on a person. This is their life. Every decision must be correct. In all my actions I am guided by one thought: I must do the right thing 100% and 100% of the time.

Although it is a joy to be in surgery, every second is taken with great serious intent. I constantly remind myself of the honor the patient has bestowed upon me. I am always so appreciative to be in surgery. It is indeed a great privilege and honor.

Diversity

I am proud of the great diversity of my practice. I have patients representative of every race, almost every nationality, male, female, transgender and on and on.

My patients have come from Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Columbia, Trinidad, Jamaica, Canada, England, Russia, Romania, Germany, France, Italy, several countries in Africa [which countries?] , Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Pakistan, and the United States-including patients who are Eskimo, American Indian, African-American, Hispanic, Hawaiian, et cetera....

So this is pretty much me.

The guiding principle is doing the right thing in the consultation, in the preparation, in the operating room, and in the recovery period. Respect the honor that the patient has bestowed. Earn the trust that has been given in good faith. This is a person's life and they are entrusting me with their enhancement and safety. It is indeed a joyful profession. I love every minute.

Sincerely,
George W. Commons, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Information on board certified plastic surgeon in Palo Alto - San Jose. Info on credentials, background, certification, experience, education and more.