Psychological assessment

Although research relating to the psychology of the cosmetic surgery patient is still in its infancy, there is a consensus among researchers that various combinations of psychological factors play a key role in the recent increase in demand for cosmetic surgery, in the motivation of prospective patients to undergo surgery, in their expectations of outcome, and in their postoperative adjustment. An appreciation of the psychological aspects of cosmetic surgery is therefore crucial and places the surgeon in a stronger position to evaluate a patient’s appropriateness for surgery. Indeed, appropriate patient selection is considered a vital part of a surgeon’s role in ensuring effective care and treatment. This chapter addresses why an understanding of psychological factors contributing to all stages of the treatment process is important to the provision of appropriate care and offers a framework for pre- and postoperative assessment.

Effect of inferior oblique myectomy on primary position when combined with lateral rectus recession for intermittent exotropia

Purpose:To evaluate the surgical success and need for adjustment due to overcorrection in patients who undergo inferior oblique myectomy (IOM) combined with lateral rectus recession (LRc) for intermittent exotropia in the setting of inferior oblique overaction.Methods:A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients with intermittent exotropia who underwent LRc using adjustable sutures alone versus LRc combined with IOM between January 2010 and July 2018 at our institution. Binocular alignment was recorded before and within one week of surgery. Evaluation measures noted were surgical success (defined as distance alignment of ⩽10 prism diopters) and need for postoperative adjustment due to overcorrection.Results:Of 48 patients, 24 underwent LRc alone and 24 underwent LRc combined with IOM; all 48 patients had adjustable sutures. Surgical success was significantly higher in the LRc alone group (91.6%) compared with the LRc with IOM group (62.5%) ( p = 0.036). The need for postoperative adjustment due to overcorrection was also significantly higher in the LRc with IOM group (20.8%) compared with the LRc alone group (0%) ( p = 0.049).Conclusions:In this study, more patients needed adjustment for overcorrection after undergoing LRc combined with IOM versus LRc alone. Since the tertiary action of the inferior oblique is abduction it is possible that, in patients with inferior oblique overaction, surgically weakening the inferior oblique causes more esodeviation and overcorrection. Thus, surgical correction of exotropia and inferior oblique overaction using LRc combined with IOM may lead to overcorrection and increased need for postoperative adjustment.

Feasibility of a Mitral Annuloplasty With the Capability for Peri- and Postoperative Adjustment

Surgical repair with implantation of a mitral annuloplasty ring is the gold standard treatment for mitral regurgitation. However, outcomes are variable and recurrent mitral regurgitation is not uncommon. A REshapeable Mitral Annuloplasty DevIce (REMADI) is proposed, which consists of a fully encapsulated low melting temperature alloy. The alloy is solid and rigid at body temperature and provides traction force to shape the annulus. When heated using a noncontact method, the alloy melts and the REMADI becomes malleable. The REMADI is engaged with the mitral valve annulus using anchors which automatically deploy upon contact. A passive beating porcine heart model was used to demonstrate the feasibility of the REMADI device, which was deployed, engaged, and used to reduce the diameter of the mitral valve annulus.

Life adjustment after surgical treatment for temporal lobe epilepsy

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patients' life adjustment after epilepsy surgery, through instruments of quality of life (QoL), anxiety, depression, preoperative expectations and postoperative life changing. METHODS: Thirty-six adults who underwent temporal lobe epilepsy surgery were interviewed before surgery, and 6 and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: For all patients, epilepsy surgery gave rise to an evolving process of postoperative adjustment, what means that they were satisfied with surgery results, and that their expectations were reached. The improvement was seen in their QoL (p=0.004), anxiety (p=0.019) and depression (p=0.001), which was associated to their perception of positive life changing. The inexistence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and the good QoL after surgery predicted the perception of positive life changing. This study could predict a total of 56.5% of aspects involved in the perception of positive life changing after epilepsy surgery, what seems that other variables may be involved in this process. The patients' status before surgery (expectations, QoL, anxiety, depression and seizures frequency) did not predict the life satisfaction after surgery, what means that when patients evaluate their actual lives they do it looking for daily aspects and do not tend to compare to their lives before surgery. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study have implications for the evaluation of life adjustment postsurgery, calling attention to measures of preoperative expectations, anxiety, depression and QoL. The strength of these contributions highlights the importance of registering the patients' feelings and opinions during the presurgical evaluation and may help the health providers to understand the aspects necessary to improve the patients' quality of life.