title: Clinical outcome, quality of life, patients' satisfaction, and aesthetic results, after reduction mammaplasty.
abstract: Macromastia is a common indication for breast reduction within the public health care system in Sweden. To reduce the waiting time, a project was launched to operate on patients during a three-month period at a local hospital in Stockholm (Nacka Hospital). The operations were done by specialists and residents from the Karolinska University Hospital, using a medial flap technique. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the results of this project, focusing on clinical outcome, quality of life, patients' satisfaction, and aesthetic results. Personal and preoperative clinical data and information about risk factors were extracted from the patients' records. At the 6 month follow-up the patients were asked to fill in two questionnaires: "Short Form-36" and another form about patients' satisfaction and sensitivity. Four digital photos taken during the follow-up were graded by three plastic surgeons. Diabetes and oral contraceptives, respectively, were risk factors for infection and delayed wound healing. Patients reported a significantly increased quality of life after six months, regardless of body mass index. Patients were generally more satisfied with the aesthetic outcome than were the surgeons, had satisfactory aesthetic results (89%), acceptable levels of complications (31%), and increased quality of life. The medial flap technique should be evaluated further for its loss of sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eggert
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schuss
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edsander-Nord
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult