Breast suspension (breast lift) is a common plastic surgery that aims to improve sagging or loose breasts and restore the youthful appearance of the breasts. Although this surgery can effectively improve the patient's body shape and self-confidence, it also has certain risks. Therefore, preoperative evaluation and preparation are particularly important. The risk assessment of the surgery includes not only the patient's physical health status, but also the anatomical structure of the breast, the choice of surgical technique, postoperative recovery, and the individual's expected goals. This article will discuss in detail how to assess the risks of the surgery before breast suspension surgery to help patients make reasonable decisions based on informed consent.
1. Assessment of the patient's physical health status
Before performing a breast suspension surgery, the patient's overall health status must be assessed to ensure the safety of the surgery. Physical health is the basic factor in assessing surgical risks, which mainly includes the following aspects:
Medical history
A detailed medical history is an important step in assessing surgical risks. The doctor needs to know whether the patient has a history of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, whether there are allergic reactions, whether there is a history of surgery or anesthesia-related complications. Chronic diseases may increase the risk during surgery. For example, hypertension may cause increased bleeding during surgery, and diabetes may prolong wound healing time.
Physical examination
During the preoperative physical examination, the doctor will evaluate the patient's weight, height, breast size, degree of breast sagging, and skin elasticity. If the patient is overweight or too thin, it may affect the effect of the operation. Therefore, evaluating weight and body fat distribution is crucial to the formulation of surgical planning.
General examination
Before surgery, doctors may ask patients to undergo a full-body examination, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests, liver and kidney function tests, etc., to ensure that the body's organs are functioning normally. Especially for middle-aged and elderly people or patients with high-risk factors, a comprehensive physical examination can help reduce potential risks during surgery.
Anesthesia assessment
Anesthetic risk is an important factor that cannot be ignored in any surgery, especially for patients with respiratory diseases, allergies or other contraindications to anesthesia. Before surgery, the anesthesiologist will evaluate the patient and develop an anesthesia plan based on the patient's specific situation. Patients with higher anesthesia risks may require special monitoring and postoperative care.
2. Breast Anatomy Assessment
The success of breast suspension surgery is closely related to the anatomical structure of the breast. Factors such as breast shape, skin elasticity, and the distribution of breast tissue will affect the results of the surgery. The main contents of evaluating the anatomical structure of the breast include:
Breast sagging degree
Breast ptosis is the main treatment target of breast suspension surgery. Doctors need to develop a surgical plan based on the degree of breast ptosis of the patient. The degree of breast ptosis is usually assessed by the "vertical distance from the nipple to the breast crease" and is divided into mild, moderate and severe ptosis. Different degrees of ptosis require different surgical methods. For example, mild ptosis may only require adjustment of the areola position, while severe ptosis requires removal of more skin tissue and reconstruction of the breast shape.
Breast tissue and fat distribution
The distribution of breast tissue can affect the firmness and overall shape of the breasts. For women with less or looser breast tissue, breast suspension surgery may not restore the expected firming effect and may even need to be combined with prosthesis implantation to increase the fullness of the breasts. Patients with uneven fat distribution may experience asymmetrical breast shape after surgery, so special attention should be paid to correcting the postoperative shape.
Breast skin elasticity
Skin elasticity directly affects the effectiveness of breast suspension surgery. Skin with poor elasticity may recover more slowly and may easily become loose or asymmetrical after surgery. Therefore, before surgery, the doctor needs to assess the elasticity of the patient's breast skin to help develop appropriate surgical incisions and repair methods. Patients with poor skin elasticity may require more skin peeling or adjustment in combination with other surgeries.
The location of the nipple and areola
The position and shape of the nipple are key factors in evaluating the success of breast suspension surgery. Severely sagging breasts require the nipple to be lifted to a suitable position, which may involve the removal of breast tissue or the repositioning of the nipple. Problems such as nipples that are too large or too small or too prominent may also affect the results of the surgery. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate the size and position of the nipple and areola before surgery.
3. Postoperative Recovery and Risk Assessment
The risks of breast suspension surgery are not only reflected in the surgical process, but also in the postoperative recovery stage. Improper postoperative care, infection, scarring and other factors may affect the effect of the surgery. Therefore, before the operation, the doctor should evaluate the patient's postoperative recovery ability, including the following aspects:
Postoperative care skills
Postoperative care after breast suspension surgery is crucial. Patients need to strictly follow the doctor's postoperative care instructions, including wearing a supportive bra, avoiding strenuous exercise, keeping the wound clean, etc. Preoperative assessment of the patient's family support and postoperative care capabilities will help determine whether the postoperative recovery is smooth.
Healing ability
The speed of postoperative healing is closely related to the individual's physical condition. Some patients may have slow postoperative wound healing or prone to infection due to physical weakness, diabetes or other health problems. Preoperative assessment of the patient's healing ability will help determine whether additional postoperative care measures are needed.
Risk of complications
Although breast suspension is a common surgery, it still has a high risk of complications, including postoperative bleeding, infection, scar hyperplasia, breast tissue damage, etc. Preoperative assessment of whether the patient has potential risk of complications will help to develop a personalized surgical plan and postoperative care plan.
IV. Assessment of the patient’s psychological state and expectations
The patient's psychological state and postoperative expectations are also important evaluation factors before breast suspension surgery. The success of the operation is not only reflected in physical changes, but also in the patient's psychological satisfaction. The doctor needs to understand the patient's expectations and requirements for the operation and help him or her establish realistic expectations.
Mental status assessment
Before the operation, the doctor should understand the patient's psychological state, especially her concern about the appearance of her breasts. Patients who have too high expectations for appearance may experience psychological disappointment after the operation if the results are not as expected, so necessary psychological counseling is needed.
Expectation Assessment
Doctors need to fully communicate with patients, clarify their expectations for breast suspension surgery, and help them set reasonable expectations. Overly idealistic expectations may lead to postoperative dissatisfaction. Therefore, before surgery, doctors should discuss surgical goals with patients and ensure that patients have a clear understanding of the postoperative effects.
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Risk assessment of breast suspension surgery is an important step to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the surgery. Before the surgery, the patient should undergo a comprehensive physical examination, breast anatomy assessment, postoperative recovery ability assessment and psychological state assessment to ensure the successful implementation of the surgery and smooth postoperative recovery. Through full communication with the doctor, the patient can have a full understanding of the surgical process, risks and expected results, and make reasonable decisions.