Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcomes After Breast Reconstruction: A Retrospective Study

This study aimed to investigate the effects of surgical timing, procedure, and age, on complication rates, health-related quality of life, and postoperative satisfaction, in patients who underwent breast reconstruction.

The data of 80 patients who underwent breast reconstruction surgery between August 2004 and June 2018 were reviewed. Patients were grouped according to surgical timing, procedure, and age. The evaluation indicators included complications and BREAST-Q scores. The statistical methods used included the Mann-Whitney U test and analyses of variance and covariance.

The incidence of complications was 15.0% (12/80). The complication rates were similar in each group ( P > 0.05). The postsurgical scores of patient satisfaction with breast, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being were higher than the presurgical scores ( P < 0.05). The postoperative psychosocial and sexual well-being scores of patients in the immediate group were higher than those in the delayed group ( P < 0.05). The satisfaction with the outcome in the abdominal flap group was higher than that in the other group, whereas the sexual well-being score of the abdominal flap group was lower than that of the other group ( P < 0.05). The scores of the postoperative physical well-being of the chest and abdomen in the younger group were higher than that in the older group ( P < 0.05).

Breast reconstruction can significantly improve patients' health-related quality of life and satisfaction. Immediate breast reconstruction can reduce the adverse psychological and physical effects that breast loss exerts on patients, leading to better postoperative satisfaction. Patients who underwent breast reconstruction with abdominal flaps had higher postoperative satisfaction. Breast reconstruction in elderly patients was associated with considerable postoperative satisfaction.