Download PDF
CC BY-NC 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2015; 42(01): 46-51
DOI: 10.5999/aps.2015.42.1.46
Original Article

Cognitive Investigation Study of Patients Admitted for Cosmetic Surgery: Information, Expectations, and Consent for Treatment

Mauro Barone
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Annalisa Cogliandro
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Giuseppe La Monaca
Institute of Philosophy of Scientific and Technological Activity, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Vittoradolfo Tambone
Institute of Philosophy of Scientific and Technological Activity, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Paolo Persichetti
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
   Permissions and Reprints

Background In all branches of medicine, it is the surgeon's responsibility to provide the patient with accurate information before surgery. This is especially important in cosmetic surgery because the surgeon must focus on the aesthetic results desired by the patient.

Methods An experimental protocol was developed based on an original questionnaire given to 72 patients. The nature of the responses, the patients' motivation and expectations, the degree of patient awareness regarding the planned operation, and the patients' perceptions of the purpose of the required consent for cosmetic surgery were all analyzed using Fisher's exact test.

Results Candidates for abdominal wall surgery had significantly more preoperative psychological problems than their counterparts did (P=0.035). A significantly different percentage of patients under 40 years of age compared to those over 40 years of age searched for additional sources of information prior to the operation (P=0.046). Only 30% of patients with a lower educational background stated that the preoperative information had been adequate, whereas 92% of subjects with secondary schooling or a postsecondary degree felt that the information was sufficient (P=0.001). A statistically significant difference was also present between patients according to their educational background regarding expected improvements in their quality of life postoperatively (P=0.008).

Conclusions This study suggests that patients require more attention in presurgical consultations and that clear communication should be prioritized to ensure that the surgeon understands the patient's expectations.

Keywords

Informed consent - Cosmetic surgery - Quality of life - Aesthetic


Publication History

Received: 05 June 2014

Accepted: 31 October 2014

Article published online:
05 May 2022

© 2015. The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, permitting unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

  • References

  • 1 Persichetti P, Simone P, Tambone V. About beauty. Plast Reconstr Surg 2004; 114: 270-271
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Fusaschi M. Corporalmente corretto: note di antropologia. Roma: Meltemi; 2008
    Google Scholar
  • 3 Benicasa M. Liceità e fondamento dellattività medico chirurgica a scopo terapeutico. Riv It Dir Proc Pen 1980; 713e ss
    Google Scholar
  • 4 Persichetti P, Russo MT. Cosm-Etica: chirurgia estetica, corpo e bellelezza. Milano: Mc Graw-Hill; 2012
    Google Scholar
  • 5 Tambone V, Ghilardi G. Aware and cooperative reduction. Clin Ter 2012; 163: e133-e143
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Sezgin B, Findikcioglu K, Kaya B. et al. Mirror on the wall: a study of women's perception of facial features as they age. Aesthet Surg J 2012; 32: 421-425
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Ghigi R. Per piacere: storia culturale della chirurgia estetica. Bologna: Il mulino; 2008
    Google Scholar
  • 8 Papadopulos NA, Staffler V, Mirceva V. et al. Does abdominoplasty have a positive influence on quality of life, self-esteem, and emotional stability?. Plast Reconstr Surg 2012; 129: 957e-962e
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Papadopulos NA, Kovacs L, Krammer S. et al. Quality of life following aesthetic plastic surgery: a prospective study. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2007; 60: 915-921
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Ozgur F, Tuncali D, Guler Gursu K. Life satisfaction, self-esteem, and body image: a psychosocial evaluation of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery candidates. Aesthetic Plast Surg 1998; 22: 412-419
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Alagoz MS, Basterzi AD, Uysal AC. et al. The psychiatric view of patients of aesthetic surgery: self-esteem, body image, and eating attitude. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2003; 27: 345-348
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Kamburoglu HO, Ozgur F. Postoperative satisfaction and the patient's body image, life satisfaction, and self-esteem: a retrospective study comparing adolescent girls and boys after cosmetic surgery. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2007; 31: 739-745
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 von Soest T, Kvalem IL, Roald HE. et al. The effects of cosmetic surgery on body image, self-esteem, and psychological problems. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2009; 62: 1238-1244
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 von Soest T, Kvalem IL, Skolleborg KC. et al. Psychosocial changes after cosmetic surgery: a 5-year follow-up study. Plast Reconstr Surg 2011; 128: 765-772
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar