Measuring patient-based outcomes in a plastic surgery service: breast reduction surgical patients

• Published in: British journal of plastic surgery Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 242 - 248
• Main Authors: Shakespeare, V., Cole, R.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cicatrix - etiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Mammaplasty - psychology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Patient Satisfaction; Postoperative Complications; Self Concept; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the genital tract and mammary gland; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome; Human; Open reduction; Prognosis; Questionnaire; Evaluation scale; Satisfaction; Plastic surgery; Mammary gland diseases; Survey; Treatment; Surgery; Female; Mammary gland; Hypertrophy
• ISSN: 0007-1226; 1465-3087
• DOI: 10.1016/S0007-1226(97)91154-1

On admission for breast reduction surgery, 110 patients completed a preoperative assessment pack containing: 1) Personal and demographic questions; 2) Condition-specific questions including physical symptoms and areas of life affected by their condition; 3) The SF-36 Health Survey Questionnaire; and 4) The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. At 3 months and again at 6 months after surgery, these same patients were sent postal follow-up packs containing the SF-36 and Rosenberg questionnaires and postoperative condition-specific questions requesting information on complications, relief of physical symptoms, scarring, pain and opinion of the aesthetic result. The response rate was 82% (90 patients) at 3 months and 76% (84 patients) at 6 months. The results of the data collected indicate that breast reduction surgery confers very substantial benefit to patients in terms of greatly improved physical and psychological health and well-being.