Effects of Elective Revision after Breast Reconstruction on Patient-Reported Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Surgical Quality Improvement

Background:

• Patient satisfaction is a key metric for surgical outcomes.
• Limited research exists on the impact of revision procedures on patient satisfaction after breast reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if elective revisions following breast reconstruction are associated with changes in patient-reported outcomes and quality of life.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 123 patients undergoing breast reconstruction (2015-2021).
• Included patients completed BREAST-Q assessments preoperatively, post-initial reconstruction, and post-revision.
• Analyzed demographic, clinical, and surgical variables, focusing on BREAST-Q domains.

Main Results:

• Patients reported significantly higher satisfaction after their first revision compared to initial reconstruction (p=0.04).
• Autologous reconstruction patients with revisions showed higher satisfaction with outcome (p=0.02) and surgeon (p=0.05) at 2-year follow-up versus those without revisions.

Conclusions:

• Revision procedures following autologous breast reconstruction correlate with improved patient satisfaction.
• Further investigation into decision-making factors for undergoing revisions is warranted.