title: DIEP flap for breast reconstruction: retrospective evaluation of patient satisfaction on abdominal results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although some papers have analyzed patient satisfaction after traditional abdominoplasty, studies that have specifically assessed patient satisfaction on abdominal reconstruction after deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) surgery are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess satisfaction, specifically for abdominoplasty results, in patients who underwent breast reconstruction with a single DIEP flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 53 consecutive patients who underwent unilateral breast reconstruction with a DIEP flap. The patients were all clinically evaluated during a specific consultation and answered a satisfaction survey based on a four-point scale (unsatisfied, satisfied, happy, and very happy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 50 patients responded to the survey. The average age was 52.3 years. This study revealed that 52% of the patients were happy or very happy with the aesthetic result of their abdomen. A total of 34% of the patients confessed that they preferred their abdomen before surgery. A further analysis of the dissatisfied patients showed particular dissatisfaction with dog-ears (50%), residual abdominal overhang (18%), or the horizontal scar (12%). The average distance between the horizontal scar and vulvar anterior commissure was 10.6 cm. A total of 86% of the patients were happy or very happy with the preoperative counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors note the necessity to give detailed preoperative information to explain the final abdominal aesthetic result, which can be quite different from the patient's expectations.
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France. Electronic address: j.niddam@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niddam
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bosc
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chader
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hersant
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bigorie
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hermeziu
authors.affiliation: Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94000 Créteil, France.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Meningaud
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D061525:Perforator Flap / Q000098:blood supply*; D011379:Prognosis; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D060053:Transplant Donor Site / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Abdominoplasty; Breast reconstruction; DIEP flap; Satisfaction survey