Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Pathways for Aesthetic Breast Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study on...

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Patient expectations and anesthesia fears in aesthetic breast surgery remain understudied.
• Understanding patient perspectives is crucial for optimizing surgical care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient anxiety, expectations, and satisfaction following Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols in aesthetic breast surgery.
• To assess the progress of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing aesthetic breast surgery.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study included 48 patients undergoing aesthetic breast surgery from April 2021 to August 2022.
• The ERAS protocol encompassed over 20 pre-, intra-, and postoperative measures.
• Standardized questionnaires (IPO, BREAST-Q/BODY-Q) assessed recovery, pain, and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Patients returned to most daily activities within 5 days, with 88% recovering faster than anticipated.
• No significant difference in satisfaction was found between slower and faster recovery groups (p=0.180).
• Fear of anesthesia (conscious sedation) decreased significantly from 17% to 4% postoperatively (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• ERAS pathways are linked to rapid recovery and high patient satisfaction in aesthetic breast surgery.
• Findings offer insights for enhancing patient education and consultations to improve outcomes.
• This study highlights the benefits of ERAS protocols for aesthetic breast surgery patients.