I agree with the prior posters. Find a reputable doctor. Ask to speak to his former patients who have undergone the surgery. That will give you a sense of how he handles potential complications. If the doctor has a problem-solving mindset, is responsive, experienced, and has a well-staffed operation, that should reduce the risks of most of the complications that can arise from this procedure.

Also, interview your surgeon personally and see how he/she responds to your concerns. What vibe does he give off? What does your gut tell you? Is the surgeon competent and caring? How available is he to address issues that may spring up?

When you ask questions about complications, does he brush them off and invalidate them? Or does he go into detail addressing the things you are asking? He should be doing most of the talking during the consult/ interview. He should be saying technical things that you may even have trouble understanding (that is a green flag). Write those things down, research them yourself after the call.

Those are just some general tips. I feel that speaking to the doctor and speaking to his former patients is one of the best things you can do to help guide your decisionmaking. At the end of the day, no surgeon (not even the top tier ones like Paley, etc) manage to completely avoid complications for their patients. Instead, focus on how these surgeons handle these complications so that the issue doesn't morph into something catastrophic.