Women undergoing autologous breast reconstruction have higher levels of breast satisfaction and psychosocial and sexual well-being at six weeks and six months after reconstruction compared with those undergoing alloplastic breast reconstruction, according to a study published online in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Nadia Sadok, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and colleagues measured changes in quality of life after breast reconstruction in a prospective multicenter study using the BREAST-Q questionnaire, which was administered preoperatively and at six weeks and six months postoperatively. Characteristics and complications were compared for those undergoing autologous and alloplastic breast reconstruction.
The researchers found that compared with women undergoing alloplastic breast reconstruction, women undergoing autologous breast reconstruction scored lower on all BREAST-Q scales, regardless of whether they underwent immediate or delayed breast reconstruction. Significantly higher scores on the Satisfaction with Breasts, Psychosocial Well-Being, and Sexual Well-Being subscales were seen at six weeks and six months postoperatively for women undergoing autologous breast reconstruction. The groups had similar scores on the postoperative Physical Well-Being: Chest subscale. Women in the autologous group more often had Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher complications (27 versus 12 percent).
