A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF PSYCHOSOCIAL AND PSYCHODYNAMIC PATIENTS REACTIONS TO BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

A survey was conducted on 46 patients who have required breast reconst ruction. Each patient was studied for about four months before breast reconstruction. Patients were submitted to interviews and psychodiagno stic tests. The interview was designed to gather information about the impact of mastectomy on patients' sexuality, social life and mood, an d about their motivation to have breast reconstruction. Afterwards, pa tients were asked to draw a female human figure to gather information about their body image. Patients subsequently received a copy of the M innesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). This test provides an objective assessment on some personality characteristics affecting personal and social adjustment. Six months after reconstruction, patie nts were again studied. Thirty patients were interviewed by the same c linical psychologist in the same setting as the first time. This time, the degree of satisfaction with the cosmetic surgical outcome, the ac ceptance of the prosthesis, and the influence of reconstruction on sex ual, social life and patient's mood were assessed. Each patient was as ked also to draw a female human figure and received a copy of the pers onality test. Comparing by paired statistics the data of the two evalu ations, we obtained a statistical difference at the Human Figure Test and at the clinical scale of Hypochondria (Hs) of the MMPI. Our data i ndicate that nearly all patients sought breast reconstruction for seve ral motives which are present simultaneously. Furthermore, our data in dicate that breast reconstruction affects the quality of life of women , especially their mood, sexual life and body image.