Patient satisfaction and health‐related quality of life after autologous tissue breast reconstruction

Abstract

BACKGROUND: For this study, the authors evaluated early psychosocialadjustments and health-related quality-of-life changes after breastreconstruction. METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent breastreconstruction between June 2009 and November 2010 were asked tocomplete the BREAST-Q, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), andImpact of Event Scale (IES) questionnaires before surgery and at 3 weeksand 3 months after surgery. A repeated-measures design was used tocompare scores between baseline and postoperative time points. RESULTS:Fifty-one of 55 women completed the questionnaires (response rate,93%). BREAST-Q subscale scores (breast, sexual well being, andpsychosocial well being) improved significantly (P