1488 Cosmetic Tourism in Aesthetic Breast Surgery

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Medical tourism is expanding on a global basis, with patients seeking cosmetic surgery in countries abroad. Little information is known regarding the risks and outcomes of cosmetic tourism, in particular, for aesthetic breast surgery. Method A systematic-review was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic-reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. Fifty-seven titles were screened, 42 abstracts were reviewed leaving 30 full texts. Twenty-one of these met the inclusion criteria. Results One-hundred and fifty patients partook in cosmetic tourism for aesthetic breast surgery. Forty-two percent of patients had an implant-based procedure. Other procedures included mastopexy (n = 4), bilateral breast reduction (n = 10) and silicone injections (n = 2). One-hundred and sixty complications were recorded, common complications included wound infection 31% (n = 46), breast abscess/ collection 14% (n = 21), wound dehiscence 12% (n = 18) and ruptured implant 9% (n = 13). Clavien-Dindo classification of complications includes 67 (45%) IIIb-complications with 78 returns-to-theatre, 2 class-IV complications (ICU stay) and one class-V-death of a patient. Explanation occurred in 38% (n = 24) of implant-based augmentation patients. Conclusions Aesthetic breast surgery tourism is popular within the cosmetic tourism industry. However, with infective complications (31%) and return-to-theatre rates (45%) significantly higher than expected, it is clear that having these procedures abroad significantly increases the risks involved. Professional bodies for cosmetic surgery in each country must highlight and educate patients how to lower this risk if they do choose to have cosmetic surgery abroad. In this current era of an intra-pandemic world where healthcare is already stretched, the burden from cosmetic tourism complications must be minimised.