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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Endoscopic Bilateral Nipple-sparing Mastectomy via a Single Axillary Incision with Immediate Pre-pectoral Implant-based Breast Reconstruction
Published on: May 17, 2024
Satisfaction following immediate breast reconstruction: Experiences in the early post-operative stage
Craig D Murray1, Alexandra Turner1, Claire Rehan2
1School of Health & Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
Objectives:
This qualitative study aimed to achieve an understanding of women's experiences of immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy, to better understand the factors influencing patient satisfaction.
Design:
Nine women were recruited from a breast unit in the North West of England. Participants were 3-9 months post-reconstruction, had received either an implant-based or Latissimus Dorsi-based immediate reconstruction and were not receiving any adjuvant therapies. An inductive qualitative and phenomenological approach was adopted to data collection and analysis.
Methods:
Women took part in semi-structured interviews. All interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results:
Four themes were generated: Seeking and receiving information; coping with the outcome of reconstruction; the need for on-going support and a new life after surgery.
Conclusion:
The study highlights difficulties surrounding receiving information and decision-making, how women make sense of recovery, how they solicit and receive support, and the process by which they begin to make sense of their futures. More focus on these areas in service provision may aid positive psychological outcomes in the recovery process following immediate breast reconstruction.
