MEET DR. SANJIV KAYASTHA

Getting to Know Dr. Kayastha

• Why did you decide to become a plastic surgeon?

  I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I never really thought about any other career. My mother is a physician and she felt strongly that she had the best job in the world. While growing up, she would constantly tell me about the wonderful feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction she received from helping people as a physician. I also always knew that I wanted to be a surgeon. I love talking to people, but I also love using my hands to make something. Surgery lets me do both. In medical school I explored all of the surgical specialties I was exposed to and liked aspects of all of them. However, I did not feel any particular spark when I pictured myself in any of those fields. Since this was a monumental decision and I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to be, I decided to take a year off from medical school. I had been involved in vascular surgery research since the start of medical school and received a prestigious grant to continue my research. I also accepted a position at Roswell Park Cancer Institute for a one year fellowship in surgical pathology. This would become one of the most important events in guiding my future choices. Whenever I wasn’t busy with surgical pathology I would steal away to the operating room to observe the different surgeries that were going on. It was here that I was first exposed to plastic surgery. One day I observed a very talented surgeon reconstruct a patients face and jaw that had been removed due to cancer. I was mesmerized by what I saw. The surgeon took skin, muscle and bone from the patient’s leg to reconstruct their face. The bone was mitre cut and plated to create the missing jaw segment. The tissues were then brought up to the defect in the patients face and with the aid of a microscope the blood vessels and nerves were attached. It was literally mind blowing what I saw that day. Even though the case took over 10 hours it was one long extended light bulb moment for me. That day, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be a plastic surgeon.

• What should every potential patient know about your practice?

  I'm very selective about which cases I will take. I don't work with every patient that consults with me. If I don't think that I can achieve the results the patient is seeking, I will tell them that and won't perform surgery.

• When patients choose your practice, what reasons do they usually cite?

  The level of personal attention they receive. From the consultation, to surgery and post operative follow ups I'm intimately involved with all aspects of your care. I take time to review my patient's medical histories carefully and make sure that they are good candidates for surgery. I spend a considerable amount of time educating patients on different treatment alternatives to help them make a well informed decision about which treatment or surgery will be best for them.

• What do you like to do in your spare time?

  When I'm not working I prioritize spending time with family and taking care of myself. My wife Kate is an ER physician at Ellis Hospital. My daughter Grace is an undergrad at Notre Dame and my son Dillon is a Junior at Niskayuna High School. I like to work out and play tennis. I play tennis 2-3 times a week year round. My wife and I have been patrons at SPAC for years and enjoy attending performances there.