title: Evidence-based evaluation technique to assess augmentation mammaplasty results: a simple method to objectively analyze mammary symmetry and position.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the great variety of mammaplasty techniques, outcome assessment remains a challenging issue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors devised an objective method to evaluate mammary symmetry based on statistical analysis of objective manual breast measurements and validated the method by applying it to results of a randomized controlled trial on the correction of breast asymmetry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty consecutive patients with hypoplastic breasts and small-volume asymmetry were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. One group received a fixed-volume implant in 1 breast and an adjustable-volume implant in the other. The other group received 2 fixed-volume implants of different sizes. The differences in specific breast and chest measurements, obtained before surgery and during follow-up, were analyzed statistically with the Wilcoxon signed rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correction of the asymmetry resulted in the reduction of the differences between left and right values for each specific breast measurement. Placement of an adjustable implant on 1 side yielded better symmetry than placement of 2 fixed-volume prostheses of different sizes. Patient and physician satisfaction was high for both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This objective analysis of clinical parameters enables comparing results for different patients in large clinical trials and for the same patient at different follow-up periods.
  
  
  METHODS
  3.
authors.affiliation: Dr Mazzocchi is an assistant professor and Dr Alfano is head professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Perugia, ItalyDr Dessy is a consultant, Dr Fallico is a resident, and Dr Scuderi is Head Professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzocchi
authors.affiliation: Dr Mazzocchi is an assistant professor and Dr Alfano is head professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Perugia, ItalyDr Dessy is a consultant, Dr Fallico is a resident, and Dr Scuderi is Head Professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca Andrea
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Dessy
authors.affiliation: Dr Mazzocchi is an assistant professor and Dr Alfano is head professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Perugia, ItalyDr Dessy is a consultant, Dr Fallico is a resident, and Dr Scuderi is Head Professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy nefer.fallico@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nefer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fallico
authors.affiliation: Dr Mazzocchi is an assistant professor and Dr Alfano is head professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Perugia, ItalyDr Dessy is a consultant, Dr Fallico is a resident, and Dr Scuderi is Head Professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alfano
authors.affiliation: Dr Mazzocchi is an assistant professor and Dr Alfano is head professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Perugia, ItalyDr Dessy is a consultant, Dr Fallico is a resident, and Dr Scuderi is Head Professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scuderi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery; D019928:Breast Implantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018427:Breast Implants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009929:Organ Size; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: evaluation techniques; mammaplasty results; mammary symmetry and position