title: Testicular prostheses in patients with testicular cancer - acceptance rate and patient satisfaction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The loss of a testicle to cancer involves much emotional impact to young males. Little is known about the number of patients with testicular germ cell tumour (GCT) who would accept a testicular prosthesis. Also, knowledge about the satisfaction of implant recipients with the device is limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart analysis was performed on 475 consecutive GCT patients. Prior to orchiectomy, all patients were offered prosthesis insertion. Acceptance of implant was noted along with age, clinical stage, histology and year of surgery. 171 implant recipients were interviewed using an 18 item questionnaire to analyze satisfaction with the prosthesis. Statistical analysis involved calculating proportions and 95% confidence intervals. Multivariate analysis was performed to look for interrelations between the various items of satisfaction with the implant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  26.9% of the patients accepted a prosthesis. The acceptance rate was significantly higher in younger men. Over-all satisfaction with the implant was "very high" and "high" in 31.1% and 52.4%, respectively. 86% would decide again to have a prosthesis. Particular items of dis-satisfaction were: implant too firm (52.4%), shape inconvenient (15.4%), implant too small (23.8%), position too high (30.3%). Living with a permanent partner had no influence on patient ratings. Multivariate analysis disclosed numerous inter-relations between the particular items of satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than one quarter of GCT patients wish to have a testicular prosthesis. Over-all satisfaction with implants is high in more than 80% of patients. Thus, all patients undergoing surgery for GCT should be offered a testicular prosthesis. However, surgeons should be aware of specific items of dis-satisfaction, particularly shape, size and consistency of the implant and inconvenient high position of the implant within the scrotum. Appropriate preoperative counselling is paramount.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Albertinen-Krankenhaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. DieckmannKP@t-online.de.
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Dieckmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Albertinen-Krankenhaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. petra.anheuser@albertinen.de.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anheuser
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. dr.stefan.schmidt@hotmail.de.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Albertinen-Krankenhaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. Benjamin.hundt@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soyka-Hundt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. u.pichlmeier@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pichlmeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. p.schriefer@uke.de.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schriefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. cordmatthies@bundeswehr.org.
authors.forename: Cord
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matthies
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. m-i.hartmann@t-online.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany. Dr.ChristianRuf@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Christian G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ruf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult