Degree of satisfaction of women treated with reconstruction and dermopigmentation of the nipple-areola complex after breast reconstruction

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the degree of satisfaction of women treated with dermopigmentation and reconstruction of the Areola-Nipple Complex (ANC) after breast reconstruction, as well as their demographic profile and clinical-evolutionary characteristics.

Methods: Descriptive observational study including 128 women treated with dermopigmentation after oncologic breast reconstruction during 2018. In 2021 they were administered an adapted satisfaction questionnaire, which contains 27 items and categorizes satisfaction from 1-5, in addition other clinical-evolutionary and demographic variables were collected.

Results: Mean age was 51 (±9) years, 89.1% had previously undergone PDA reconstruction. Mean satisfaction with dermopigmentation was 4.4 (±0.88) and 3.79 (±1.06) for PDA reconstruction. Complications were rare, but 54.5% (n = 54) of the patients reported that the CAP reconstruction did not offer the expected projection, 91.6% (n = 98) that the color had faded and 51.4% (n = 55) would choose permanent tattooing. It was perceived that, the higher the satisfaction of the CAP, the higher the satisfaction of dermopigmentation, while the older the age and previous chemotherapy treatment the lower the color durability (p value ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions: Patients who underwent reconstructive breast surgery show a high degree of satisfaction with dermopigmentation and surgical reconstruction of the PDA, but reiterate the low projecticity of the dermopigmentation and the surgical reconstruction of the PDA, but reiterate the low degree of satisfaction with the dermopigmentation.

Keywords: Breast diseases; Enfermedades de la mama; Mammaplasty; Mamoplastia; Nipples; Patient satisfaction; Pezones; Satisfacción del paciente; Tattooing; Tatuaje.