ArticlePloS one2017
Most women recover from psychological distress after postoperative complications following implant or DIEP flap breast reconstruction: A prospective long-term follow-up study.
Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Implants versus autologous tissue flaps for breast reconstruction following mastectomy.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Comparative Outcomes of Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap and Breast Implants in Breast Reconstruction Postmastectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Psychosocial Adaptation in Breast Cancer Patients: A Mixed-Methods sequential Explanatory Study.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Article
- Comparison of Elicit AI and Traditional Literature Searching in Evidence Syntheses Using Four Case Studies.Cochrane evidence synthesis and methods · 2025Article
- Complications of Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction in Prophylactic Versus Therapeutic Mastectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- The psychological impacts of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction: a systematic review.Annals of breast surgery : an open access journal to bridge breast surgeons across the world · 2024Article
- Trends in emotional functioning and psychosocial wellbeing in breast cancer survivors: a prospective cohort study using patient-reported outcome measures.BMC women's health · 2023Article
- Experiences of implant loss after immediate implant-based breast reconstruction: qualitative study.BJS open · 2020Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSubstantial complication rates after postmastectomy breast reconstruction (BR) in breast cancer patients have been reported. Few studies have reported on the resulting psychological distress (PD) and satisfaction with the aesthetic result in relation to postoperative complications after completion of implant or DIEP flap BR. The present study investigated whether women were able to recover from complication related distress in the long term.
methodsPD was prospectively measured using questionnaires regarding anxiety, depression and cancer distress. Eligible patients completed questionnaires before BR (T0, n = 144), after one month (T1, n = 139) and after completion of BR, approximately 21 months after initial reconstructive surgery (T2, n = 119). Satisfaction with the aesthetic result was assessed 21 months after BR. Data concerning complications, subsequent additional surgery and total reconstruction failure up to T2 were collected from the medical records. Analyses were performed using multi-level regression analyses correcting for age.
resultsOne or more complications occurred in 61 patients (42%) and 50 women required subsequent surgery (35%). In time, mean PD significantly declined towards baseline scores independent of complications. However, a total reconstruction failure (n = 10) was significantly associated with a large temporary increase in depression scores. After additional surgery due to complications patients were less satisfied with aesthetic outcome, although patient satisfaction was independent of PD.
conclusionsPD outcomes generally declined to normal levels after completion of the entire BR course. Patients experiencing a total reconstruction failure reported more depression after this loss, but in the long term recovered to the same level as women without complications. These findings indicate that women generally can cope efficiently with these serious adverse events, even if they were less satisfied with the aesthetic result.
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