Dr. Joseph Michael Serletti, MD

So many bad reviews, not just mine. After so many risk reducing surgeries after breast cancer and BRCA diagnosis, this was, by far, the worst surgical experience I've ever had. I was assigned Dr. Serletti by HUP for Tram flap reconstruction surgery after a double mastectomy. I only saw him once for an appointment before the surgery - it couldn't have been for all of five minutes - which left me feeling weird. I only saw Dr. Serletti once after the surgery standing about three feet away from the bed in a half lit room, telling me everything went ok. But did it? I immediately developed necrosis and the surgical sutures had started to dehisce. The only doctors I saw after that shadowy appearance by Serletti was a gaggle of residents who treated me like a science project and told me not to worry about the spreading black skin (necrosis), that it would 'just fall off' and everything would be fine. I was released on the third day, with both breasts still deteriorating. I asked several… nurses if I could have the post op appointment moved forward, since things weren't looking good and they seemed perplexed that it was scheduled out that far out - 4 weeks! But, nope, no availability. Better hope it doesn't get any worse 'cause he's all booked up! Well, it got A LOT WORSE. Got home, followed the surgical instructions to the letter, then, the sutures on both breasts dehisced. Necrosis, which had started in hospital spread, the incisions were open and the foul odor from opened sutures-wounds was nauseating. Long story short, neither my visiting nurse, a 30 year ER Nurses Director nor I could elicit any but the most apathetic, gum chewing, brain dead responses from the teenage zombie receptionist. "There are no appointments. Not with anyone. She'll have to wait. It's three and a half more weeks. She can wait." Even photos loaded onto the patient portal, which sickened my other doctors, did not convey the urgency of the problems. Never have I ever had a surgeon who didn't keep a few open appointments available for surgery patients who were having a problem. I was so ill and so traumatized. And worst of all, no other doctor would even consult with me about it because it was another surgeon's mess to clean up. I had to take an extra two months off work, have been diagnosed with PTSD and surgical trauma reaction syndrome, and now I have to pay for trauma therapy. Do not entrust your body, your physical and mental well being on any surgeon or doctor who doesn't have time for his patients, or allows residents to do all his work.

had facelift--took photos of before and 6 months later---only difference is one side of my face is different than the other. one side of under chin is completely different than the other side. extremely disappointed. went to another doctor---he was completely confused. asked "what was done?" I need corrective surgery to make both sides of my face match also no facelift apparent at all. Joe serletti made it worse

ATTN women/men w breast cancer (BC): I rec’d BC diagnosis and my greatest hope is that leaving this review will allow you to choose a better path. I regret my path to have my breasts reconstructed (DIEP FLAP) by this man. If you decide to choose him as your surgeon, please protect yourself: 1) get copy of your signed consent upfront (like oncology breast surgeon does!) so you know what you’re agreeing to (vs. in hospital bed about to be wheeled into surgery wo any knowledge of what you just signed); 2) even though you may be told by his nurse / attending physician that this man will be doing/did the surgery, residents might do portions of surgery (I later found out residents worked on my ab, which was left very unsightly and unsymmetrical and I may or may not have mesh in my ab… surgeon doesn’t even know, but “believes” it’s biodegradable IF in my body; 3) understand possible complications: my belly button was sewn in my hospital room; my right breast was scarred from cauterization; a… large portion of my left breast has necrosis … if it was ever viable (nurses told me doppler stitch was not in normal spot, which is where necrosis is located); wound care was very difficult; I had a lot of issues with ab pain. Like me, you may need to press and press and press to get real answers (vs. narcotics). You shouldn't have to work that hard to get what you require. 4) Understand amazing care you receive at every other office at Penn Medicine may not be your experience here. He didn’t even see/call me in hosp post-surgery until last day, making me delay my discharge until he got there and the way he talked to me was flippant and ignorant (BTW apparently 70% of reconstruction requires “revision” beyond nipple creation - who knew? Not me... so no informed consent). When you have office visits, none of your concerns will be documented in visit summaries. My surgery w Chief was 11.22.21. As a result of being his patient, I may need to undergo TWO more breast surgeries to be made whole. Finding a surgeon to fix my breasts was an added stressor, but kind people in other offices helped/CARED! I will likely need to incur out-of-pocket expenses to fix my unsightly abdomen if it’s considered cosmetic - not medical - to look normal. I will not be whole for many months. When I documented all my concerns (electronically via patient portal) on 3.3.22 and asked him to call me to discuss, nurse didn’t share my note with him until 3.8.22. He didn’t call me as requested; I need to schedule “next available”. It’s 3.11.22 and I still haven’t heard from office to schedule. I had shared I’m losing sleep, worried and anxious (new necrosis finding by diff doc means large portion of new breast needs to be removed and refilled). Does this response seem normal? Like a doctor who cares? You must ask yourself why he is so confident in being so dismissive. Who is he accountable to as “Chief”? Women/men w BC, I humbly hope I’ve helped you today because cancer and losing your breasts are enough. You deserve quality care and a quick return to normal!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery by a doctor referred to me by my breast doctor. I had multiple complications which lead to me removing my implants. Due to surgical mesh used during that surgery and damage done to my tissue due to radiation and scar tissue I had two open wounds that would not close/heal. After seeing numerous wound specialists, other surgeons and trying for 2 years to heal I was told I had no other choice but to have a latissimus flap surgery (to move tissue and latissimus muscle from my back to my front to rebuild chest) there was no way around it. I was opposed to more surgeries, this would be my 5th surgery in 5 years, but agreed it needed to be done. My life activities and social life were suffering it was time to fix the problem and move on. I sat down at my computer and googled who is the chief of Penn Medicine cosmetic surgery & reconstructive surgery if I was having the surgery it was going to be… by the best of the best, that was when I found Dr. Serletti. First I have to say Dr. Serletti has magical hands and from the time I met with him I knew he was different than my other doctor's so I knew the outcome would be different. Dr. Serletti has done for me what I began to lose hope would ever happen, he put me back together and I am now 2 months post surgery and I feel great. I have to say that he is a miracle worker if your looking for the best surgeon in the area look no further Dr. Serletti is your man! Honestly after 5 years of treatments and surgeries for the first time in a long time I feel like this is over and I will be able to put it behind me. Dr. Serletti is an amazing, talented and very smart surgeon. He does it his way! He gave me back my life. I am so grateful for him and what he has done for me. Thank you Dr. Serletti!

Completely happy with my reconstruction result, Dr serletti is extremely skilled and could not be happier with my mastectomy reconstruction with implants result, I highly recommend

I saw Dr. Serletti he was very complacent , My consult was totally left up to the nurse Angela Miller . When requesting my medical records he personally didn't take any . I truly don't want a nurses rendition of what has to be a surgeons job , Mrs Miller doesn't have a surgeons education but wow sure acts like it , Disgusted !

However if you do care about your cosmetic outcome and appearance after breast reconstruction surgery, may want to give things a second thought. All I can say is that he made a mess out of my body!

I stated that my sister had same surgery as me and had excellent results, I neglected to say that her bilateral diep was at another hospital in New York and was NOT performed by Dr. Serletti, who did my surgery. I can kick myself now because I was all set up with a surgery date in NY with the same surgeons my sister used and cancelled in order to go with Dr. Serletti.

Dr. Serletti did DIEP FLAP immediate reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy. I am left with a HUGE indentation by my sternum where rib was removed and spider veins in that area which I did not have before. He offers no explanation of why this happened. I also have a bulge the size of a small football on rt side. Left breast is misshapen. My sister had same surgery 2 months after me and came out better than she looked before! He did an awful job and I am beginning to wonder if had the residents perform my entire surgery. I my need counseling..that is how depressed I am over this mess. I would give him zero stars if that were an option.

Revered to by my plastic serge on to revise left side with trans flap. Trans flap surgery went well. Spent the year expanding the left side to place permanent implant. Plan was to exchange the expander on left with fourth generation silicone. Going 25% larger. Replace the right implant with fourth generation implant 25% bigger to match. The right side was not done at all! Totally forgot the operation discussed for a year! How does this happen? Two different nurses asked what I was having done and twice I told them I was having the right expander switched out and right side switched to match. Both nurses said they didn't see anything about the right side. I spoke up both times and the surgery was not done as planned. I would never recommend Dr. Serletti to anyone.