June Study Finds Need for Improvement in Reporting Plastic Surgery Outcomes
ST. LOUIS (PRWEB) July 19, 2018 -- In an article published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in June 2018, five doctors reported the findings from their study of almost 300 surgical outcome reports written over 15 years. In all, they reviewed literature for 299,819 cases involving 249,942 patients. St. Louis plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Myckatyn was one of the article’s authors, along with Drs. Michael Franco, Rajiv Parikh, Ali Qureshi, and Ketan Sharma.
Collectively, the authors aimed to analyze how accurately and consistently surgeons reported complications related to the plastic surgery procedures they performed. The review included writings published in the journals Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Annals of Plastic Surgery from Jan. 1, 2000, to Dec. 31, 2014, all focusing on autologous breast reconstruction, prosthetic breast reconstruction, or breast reduction.
The researchers set 10 reporting criteria—including reporting of grading systems to clarify complication severity, recording the number of patients with complications as well as the total number of complications, and statement of various related timelines—finding that none of the 296 items they reviewed met all 10. Less than 1 percent of the literature met nine of the criteria, while 16 percent met seven or eight points. The largest percentage—43 percent—met roughly half of the criteria established by the study authors for adequate surgical outcome reporting. Six percent of the articles met only one of the criteria set by the study authors.
The major problems found by the authors were “underreporting” of complication definitions, aesthetic outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, risk factors, and the severity of any complications. Just 16 percent of the reports noted complication severity, and even these were problematic, as definitions of “major” complications varied across the 46 reports.
“If there is no consistency in reporting plastic surgery complications, comparing surgical outcomes to improve safety, aesthetic results, and the overall patient experience is difficult to impossible,” Dr. Myckatyn said. “In order to assure consistent quality in procedures performed around the country, as well as make the experience even better in the future, standard complication-reporting guidelines must be built and followed.”
Read the full study at the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
To learn more about Dr. Terry Myckatyn and West County Plastic Surgeons of Washington University—which offers both breast reduction and breast reconstruction, as well as breast augmentation and a range of other cosmetic surgical procedures and treatments—call 314.996.8800 or visit https://westcountyplasticsurgeons.wustl.edu.
Terry Myckatyn, West County Plastic Surgeons, http://westcountyplasticsurgeons.wustl.edu/, +1 (314) 996-3028, [email protected]
Share this article