Dr. John Jeonhwan Chi, MD

I had reconstructive surgery on my nose post-MOHS surgery to removed a basal cell carcinoma. Dr. Chi went over the plan before my MOHS surgery to discuss grafts, flap and other possibilities. After my MOHS surgery we again discussed the best options for success and used a flap from the fold of my cheek in my smile line. Five months post-procedure it is nearly impossible to tell I had surgery on my nose and face. He is a very skilled surgeon and the symmetry and overall results have been great. A true artist. I recommend Dr. Chi if you require this type of surgical procedure.

I needed Mohs surgery for a basal cell cancer on my nose. My dermatologist recommended Dr Chi for the closure for the best cosmetic result. Dr Chi was thorough in discussing the possibilities for the repair. I might need skin flaps, my nose would be smaller ( not a bad thing, for me anyway!) etc— didn’t sound great but I appreciated the time he spent explaining everything. His office ran smoothly and there was no waiting. After the dermatologist chopped up my nose and left a big crater, I went to Barnes West OR ( a smooth running place). Dr Chi explained that, since the excision was asymmetric, there would be asymmetry of the repair. The procedure was painless, done under general anesthesia. Somehow Dr. Chi was able to put my nose all back together w/o any flaps or grafts. My nose was sore for a couple of weeks afterwards, but not bad. Even though Dr Chi prescribed pain pills, all I needed was a couple Tylenol. Initially I looked like I had been punched in my… nose, with swelling and a little bruising, but that resolved in a couple of weeks. I was left with a nice looking nose! I’m pretty happy with it! Dr Chi did a great job! There’s a little asymmetry of my nostrils, but not very noticeable. There’s a hairline scar, which is receding ( it’s only been 6 weeks, so likely to improve further). I’m happy the cancer is gone AND I have a nice nose!

I am very happy with the overall outcome for my ENT surgery with Dr. Chi. I had a collapsed septum from an accident and needed an outpatient septorhinoplasty to breathe out of my nose again. Recovery went just as expected and I obtained the desired result within the expected time frame. I honestly couldn’t even tell that I had surgery after the first month post-surgery even though Dr. Chi says this may not happen for up to 6 months after. The presurgical photos that Dr. Chi takes during the consult include a photoshopped anticipated result that ended up being very accurate. These are a good reference to visually see what you can expect after his repair. As with any surgical procedure there are always associated risks. These were clearly discussed in surgical consultation prior to scheduling surgery. I did have a significant delay from the time of surgical consult to the time of surgery, but this was due to my own schedule and the subsequent pandemic. At the time of surgery, the… perioperative experience went very smoothly with only one minor hiccup. This likely would have been avoided if the surgery hadn’t occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. General anesthesia causes temporary amnesia, as expected, so postoperative discharge instructions were relayed to my significant other via phone instead of in-person. Social distancing restrictions limited the ability for my partner to receive the discharge teaching in person which meant we were reliant on the paper discharge instruction I was sent home with. The PACU nurse did provide adequate discharge teaching regarding postoperative bleeding but failed to discuss with her that I would have significant postoperative nasal congestion. Since more then 6 months had passed from the time of my surgical consult, this small detail regarding nasal congestion had slipped my mind as I was also still recovering from a brain injury. This minor hiccup resulted in me calling the weekend call ENT fellow (MD in training) to confirm if this was expected. Ultimately this would have been avoided with improved discharge instructions. My pain postoperatively was properly managed with the provided prescriptions. Given that anesthesia and narcotics always slow your bowels down, there should have been an accompanying bowel regimen ordered at the time of discharge as you should expect postoperative constipation after surgery. While I am a healthy young adult without accompanying comorbidities, I would still have benefited from this. Whether this is prescription or over the counter, a bowel regimen should have been a part of the discharge instructions both verbal and paper. I did end up using over the counter laxatives throughout the first week of recovery while I was taking opioids once 48 hours had passed without a bowel movement. Ultimately, my experience with Dr. Chi exceeded all expectations. The concerns regarding postoperative surgical teaching and a bowel regimen are reliant on the BJC West County PACU amending their discharge instructions. BJC West County did a very good job managing the surgical experience as well as ensuring that everything was kept clean.

I was referred to him by the Nose Specialist at the same clinic. I left his office feeling embarrassed by his attitude towards me. Like be booted me out because I “failed the first question”. Really? Is that how you treat your patients all the time? I came in with a concerns that the previous Dr had an opinion that Dr Chi could address with a procedure. But Dr Chi seemed so against it that he would literally nod his head no and interrupt me as I was speaking clearly showing his disinterest and disagreement. It was as if that was his way of telling me to shut up and stop wasting his time. Either way if I was a candidate for the surgery or if it was deemed medically essential you can rest assure that I would have never let this Dr operate on me based off of his attitude alone. I don’t care what his credentials are. If he can’t keep a respectful manner towards a patient and not make him/her feel minuscule for even coming in to him then there is no way I could place my trust on… him for a surgery that can potentially affect my quality of life from then on.

I went to Dr. Chi after a failed septoplasty that left my nose crooked and deformed and also left me unable to breathe. He was immediately attentive to my two goals of wanting to breathe better and look more aesthetically symmetrical. I needed a septo-rhinoplasty and had to have rib taken out to construct my new nose structure. The surgery went SO smoothly and recovery was a breeze. The end result is amazing and I'm finally breathing without any difficulty! I feel so grateful to have found Dr. Chi. If you are needing any sort of facial surgery, please do yourself a favor and make an appointment.

If you are looking to get any facial cosmetic procedures done, Dr. John Chi is the doctor you need to see. I am very pleased with my result. Dr. Chi was very thorough and informative during the consultation. If I could, I would rate Dr. Chi 10 stars. One happy patient. Highly recommend Dr. John Chi.