title: Influence of one- and two-stage biopsy-mastectomy procedures on psychologic adaptation of patients.
abstract: To investigate the psychologic adjustment of women undergoing radical mastectomy for cancer, we compared drug consumption (analgesics and sedatives) in the postoperative period and the time lag between operation and the first spontaneous observation of surgical wound in two groups operated according to different procedures. Group 1 (52 patients; mean age, 47 years) underwent a two-stage surgical treatment consisting of biopsy (local anesthesia) followed after 2-4 h by mastectomy (general anesthesia); in the interval patients were informed about ongoing procedures by the surgeon, who also pronounced some key words such as tumor, malignant disease, cancer. Group 2 (66 patients; mean age, 47 years) underwent biopsy and mastectomy in a single stage under general anesthesia. The relative risk (RR) of Group 1 vs Group 2 patients was calculated as regards both drug consumption and time of the first self-observation of the surgical wound. Our results seem to suggest that the two-stage procedure through special care given by the surgeon may result in a positive coping pattern and thus better acceptance of the mutilation.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Chirurgia Generale, Ospedale V. Buzzi, Milano, Italia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamburini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: La Grasta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cunietti
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001007:Anxiety; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013997:Time Factors; D014342:Truth Disclosure
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives