AN AUDIT OF OUTCOME INCLUDING PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH IMMEDIATE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION PERFORMED BY BREAST SURGEONS

Reconstruction of the female breast is becoming ever more frequently r equested by patients after mastectomy for cancer. One of the least com plex techniques is that of local tissue expansion with a permanent pro sthesis. We present our experience and the clinical outcomes of the fi rst 100 patients to have undergone surgery in the 4 years since the in troduction of this method of breast reconstruction in our unit. A retr ospective study was performed with a detailed questionnaire being sent to each patient for subjective assessment of satisfaction. Data were also collected on the rates of clinical infection of the prosthesis an d the need for further surgery, including capsulotomy, nipple reconstr uction and contralateral procedures. With 84% expressing their satisfa ction at the final result, immediate breast reconstruction is both fea sible and highly acceptable to the majority of patients.