Handedness and Laterality in Plastic Surgery and Outcome-A Retrospective, Two-Center, Evaluator-Blinded Study

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes
• Handedness Research

Background:

• Limited understanding of handedness influence on plastic surgery results.
• Investigating potential differences in outcomes between right and left surgical sites based on surgeon handedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if surgeon handedness affects plastic surgery outcomes on bilateral body sites.
• To analyze differences in aesthetic results and complication rates between operated sides.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, two-center study of 61 patients undergoing bilateral plastic surgery (Jan 2020-Dec 2023).
• Outcomes assessed by an independent evaluator using a 1-10 Likert scale.
• Complications categorized as minor or major, with reoperation status as a key factor.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in outcomes between right and left surgical sites (p=0.60).
• A slight trend towards better outcomes on the right side was observed.
• 19.7% of patients experienced minor complications, with a tendency towards higher rates on the right.

Conclusions:

• Surgeon handedness appears to play a minimal role in plastic surgery outcomes.
• Ergonomic optimization and consideration of handedness ambiguity could enhance surgical results.
• Further research may be needed to fully elucidate the impact of handedness in plastic surgery.