Predicting Postoperative Satisfaction with Breasts: How Important is the Preoperative BREAST-Q Score?

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Breast Reconstruction

Background:

• The impact of preoperative patient satisfaction on postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) outcomes is not well understood.
• This study investigates preoperative satisfaction as a predictor of postoperative results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if preoperative Satisfaction with Breasts scores independently predict postoperative satisfaction after PMBR.
• To assess the impact of including preoperative scores in predictive models.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 2324 patients undergoing PMBR between 2017-2021.
• Utilized multiple linear regression models, comparing models with and without preoperative Satisfaction with Breasts scores.
• Employed multiple imputation for missing preoperative data.

Main Results:

• Preoperative Satisfaction with Breasts scores were significantly associated with 1-year postoperative scores (β = 0.09, p < 0.001).
• Including preoperative scores significantly improved model fit (p = 0.0021).
• Preoperative scores were more important than several clinical factors but less than reconstruction type or psychiatric diagnoses.

Conclusions:

• Preoperative Satisfaction with Breasts scores are a crucial independent predictor of postoperative satisfaction following PMBR.
• Collecting preoperative satisfaction scores is recommended for optimizing patient outcomes, similar to vital signs.