scholarly journals Health System Barriers to the Discussion of Breast Reconstruction Options in Australia: Improving Access Through Appropriate Referral

2020 ◽  
pp. 168-177
Author(s):  
Kathy Flitcroft ◽  
Meagan Brennan ◽  
Andrew Spillane
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Breast Surgeon ◽  
Clinician Education ◽  
Previously Treated ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Different Levels

Background: This study aimed to document referral-based barriers impeding Australian women's informed decision-making about breast reconstruction (BR) and to propose a designated BR referral pathway to help overcome these barriers.Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten women previously treated for breast cancer, 9 breast and reconstructive surgeons and 6 health professionals [n=25] who had identified problems with referrals for BR. Results: Referral-based barriers to BR discussion were identified at three different levels: from a public or private screening center to a General Practitioner (GP) or breast surgeon; from a GP to a breast surgeon; and from one breast surgeon (without BR skills) to another breast or plastic reconstructive surgeon (with BR skills). A lack of designated referral pathways has meant that clinically eligible women who are interested in considering immediate BR have been denied this opportunity.Conclusions: Streamlining referral processes, along with patient and clinician education, would help to ensure that women are at least seen by the most appropriate clinicians to discuss BR options and to maximise their opportunity for BR should they choose that option. Designated referral pathways could also be useful in ensuring that preference-sensitive treatment decisions are facilitated in settings with varying degrees of resources and in a range of clinical conditions.

scholarly journals THE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER: A THEORETICAL MODEL

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cilene Volkmer ◽  
Evanguelia Kotzias Atherino dos Santos ◽  
Alacoque Lorenzini Erdmann ◽  
Fabiana Flores Sperandio ◽  
José Luis Guedes dos Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Reconstruction Process ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Theoretical Sampling ◽  
Theoretical Saturation

ABSTRACT Objective: to build a theoretical model on the experience and meaning of the breast reconstruction process in women with breast cancer. Method: a qualitative research using Grounded Theory and Symbolic Interactionism as theoretical-methodological frameworks. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously, from April to October 2015, through theoretical sampling and theoretical saturation of the categories. Theoretical sample with 31 participants, 21 women and 10 health professionals, interviewed at home or at work, comprising four sample groups. Results: the theoretical model “Women face challenges and overcome difficulties: fear of death, breast mutilation and breast reconstruction, changing the way of being a woman” offers an explanation of the phenomenon and emerged from the systematic interrelation of the 11 study categories, with three causal categories, one category representing the context, five categories of intervening conditions, the strategies and the consequences represented by one category each. Conclusion: this study demonstrates the experience of the breast reconstruction process for women with breast cancer, the meaning of overcoming difficulties, value life and oneself, putting themselves first, taking care of themselves and learning to change, to be more tolerant, to value material things less and to face life with courage and faith. It also indicates that research on theoretical models on issues that plague our professional practices can enhance teaching and science and, consequently, improve care in women's health.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Use of Shared Decision Making in Breast Cancer: International Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2128
Author(s):  
Marta Maes-Carballo ◽  
Manuel Martín-Díaz ◽  
Luciano Mignini ◽  
Khalid Saeed Khan ◽  
Rubén Trigueros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Professional Societies ◽  
New Policies

Objectives: To assess shared decision-making (SDM) knowledge, attitude and application among health professionals involved in breast cancer (BC) treatment. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire, sent by several professional societies to health professionals involved in BC management. There were 26 questions which combined demographic and professional data with some items measured on a Likert-type scale. Results: The participation (459/541; 84.84%) and completion (443/459; 96.51%) rates were high. Participants strongly agreed or agreed in 69.57% (16/23) of their responses. The majority stated that they knew of SDM (mean 4.43 (4.36–4.55)) and were in favour of its implementation (mean 4.58 (4.51–4.64)). They highlighted that SDM practice was not adequate due to lack of resources (3.46 (3.37–3.55)) and agreed on policies that improved its implementation (3.96 (3.88–4.04)). The main advantage of SDM for participants was patient satisfaction (38%), and the main disadvantage was the patients’ paucity of knowledge to understand their disease (24%). The main obstacle indicated was the lack of time and resources (40%). Conclusions: New policies must be designed for adequate training of professionals in integrating SDM in clinical practice, preparing them to use SDM with adequate resources and time provided.

scholarly journals Breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery – persistent pain and quality of life 1–8 years after breast reconstruction

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Honkanen ◽  
Laura Mustonen ◽  
Eija Kalso ◽  
Tuomo Meretoja ◽  
Hanna Harno
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Perforator Flap ◽  
Persistent Pain ◽  
Rectus Abdominis ◽  
Preoperative Pain ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Objectives To assess the long-term outcome of breast reconstructions with special focus on chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) in a larger cohort of breast cancer survivors. Methods A cross-sectional study on 121 women with mastectomy and breast reconstruction after mean 2 years 4 months follow up. The mean time from breast reconstruction to the follow-up visit was 4 years 2 months. We studied surveys on pain (Brief Pain Inventory, BPI and Douleur Neuropathique 4, DN4), quality of life (RAND-36 health survey), sleep (insomnia severity questionnaire, ISI), mood (Beck’s Depression Index, BDI; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), and a detailed clinical sensory status. Patients were divided into three groups: abdominal flap (Deep inferior epigastric perforator flap, DIEP; Free transverse rectus abdominis flap, fTRAM, and Pedicled transverse rectus abdominis flap, pTRAM), dorsal flap (Latissimus dorsi flap, LD and Thoracodorsal artery perforator flap, TDAP), and other (Transverse myocutaneous gracilis flap, TMG; implant). Clinically meaningful pain was defined ≥ 4/10 on a numeric rating scale (NRS). We used patients’ pain drawings to localize the pain. We assessed preoperative pain NRS from previous data. Results 106 (87.6%) of the patients did not have clinically meaningful persistent pain. We found no statistically significant difference between different reconstruction types with regards to persistent pain (p=0.40), mood (BDI-II, p=0.41 and HADS A, p=0.54) or sleep (p=0.14), respectively. Preoperative pain prior to breast reconstruction surgery correlated strongly with moderate or severe CPSP. Conclusions Moderate to severe CPSP intensity was present in 14% of patients. We found no significant difference in the prevalence of pain across different reconstruction types. Preoperative pain associated significantly with postoperative persistent pain.

scholarly journals The Comparison of Breast Reconstruction Using Two Types of Acellular Dermal Matrix after Breast-Conserving Surgery

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3430
Author(s):  
Jeongshin An ◽  
Hyungju Kwon ◽  
Woosung Lim ◽  
Byung-In Moon ◽  
Nam Sun Paik
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Acellular Dermal Matrix ◽  
Breast Conserving Surgery ◽  
The Body ◽  
Surgical Time ◽  
Dermal Matrix ◽  
Specimen Weight ◽  
Breast Shape ◽  
Acellular Dermal

Breast reconstruction during breast-conserving surgery (BCS) can improve the breast shape. This study introduces breast reconstruction in BCS with two types of acellular dermal matrix (ADM). The study included 134 patients who underwent BCS due to breast cancer from February 2018 to May 2021. This study was conducted by one surgeon, and is the result of a three-year study. The patient group who underwent BCS using ADM was mainly targeted at patients with minor to severe defects after the operation. The average age of the patients was 51.8 years, and the body mass index (BMI) was 23.8 kg/m. The specimen weight was 30–120 g. The average surgical time, including reconstruction, was 100.4 min, combined with reconstruction. There were minor complications in six patients. The advantage of using ADM is that it can quickly correct the shape of the breast after conventional BCS surgery. Pellet-type ADM, rather than sheet-type, can create a breast shape similar to that before surgery. Breast reconstruction using ADM can be an easy and convenient method for making a better shape from BCS.

Article Commentary: Pain after Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nalini Vadivelu ◽  
Maggie Schreck ◽  
Javier Lopez ◽  
Gopal Kodumudi ◽  
Deepak Narayan
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Minimally Invasive ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Sentinel Node ◽  
Breast Cancer Surgery ◽  
Phantom Pain ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Pain Syndromes ◽  
Post Operative Pain

Breast cancer is a potentially deadly disease affecting one in eight women. With the trend toward minimally invasive therapies for breast cancer, such as breast conserving therapies, sentinel node biopsies, and early treatments of radiation and chemotherapy, life expectancy after breast cancer has increased. However, pain after breast cancer surgery is a major problem and women undergoing mastectomy and breast reconstruction experience postoperative pain syndromes in approximately one-half of all cases. Patients post mastectomy and breast reconstruction can suffer from acute nociceptive pain and chronic neuropathic pain syndromes. Several preventative measures to control acute post operative pain and chronic pain states such as post mastectomy pain and phantom pain have been tried. This review focuses on the recent research done to control acute and chronic pain in patients receiving minimally invasive therapies for breast cancer, such as breast conserving therapies of mastectomies and breast reconstruction, sentinel node biopsies, and early treatments of radiation and chemotherapy.

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