Patient-Reported Satisfaction following mastectomy and immediate reconstruction does not change with time

Abstract

Background: Patients undergoing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) for cancer may be expected to reflect differently on their procedure with time. As time from the surgery increases, their perceptions of self and their satisfaction with the procedure could change. Method: Patients undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction from 2008–2014 at the Cambridge Breast Unit were retrospectively identified from a prospective register and their notes audited. The Breast-Q™ questionnaire was posted to participants using the “total Dillman method” in January 2016. Q-SCORE software was utilised to analyse patient satisfaction scores. Linear regressions were conducted with respect to time since procedure and satisfaction scores. Results: Of the 346 participants, we received 258 responses leading to an overall response rate of 74.5% and useable response rate of 72.3%. Across all satisfaction domains (breast, outcome, psychosocial, sexual well-being, physical symptoms, information), patient scores were independent of time since procedure. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that patients’ satisfaction with their procedure does not change significantly between 1 and 8 years post-operatively. It highlights that a patient’s reflection of self at 12 months is maintained in subsequent years. This suggests the importance of complementary intervention to improve outcome before this point.