Lquality of Life and Satisfaction after Breast Augmentation - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Breast-Q Patient-Reported Outcomes

BackgroundBreast augmentation ranks among the most popular plastic surgery procedures. Yet, reports on postoperative patient-reported quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction remain conflicting.MethodsA systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Three databases were searched for eligible studies that reported pre-and/or postoperative Breast-Q™ augmentation scores for patient QoL (psychosocial, sexual, and physical well-being) and/or satisfaction.ResultsA total of 39 studies (53 patient cohorts and 18,322 patients) were included in the quantitative synthesis. The pairwise meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in patient-reported psychosocial (MD: +38.10) and sexual well-being (MD: +40.20) as well as satisfaction with breast (MD: +47.88) (all p<0.00001). Physical well-being improved slightly after breast augmentation (MD: +6.97; p=0.42). The single-arm meta-analysis yielded comparable results, with Breast-Q™ scores in psychosocial and sexual well-being as well as satisfaction with breast increasing from 37.2, 31.1, and 26.3 to 75.0, 70.6, and 72.7, respectively (all p<0.00001). Physical well-being improved by 8.1 (75.8 preoperatively to 83.9 postoperatively; p=0.17). Subgroup analyses highlighted higher QoL and satisfaction following breast augmentation for purely aesthetic purposes and alloplastic mammaplasty. While patient-reported physical and sexual well-being increased in the long term, psychosocial well-being was highest in the short term.ConclusionPatient satisfaction with breast as well as psychosocial and sexual well-being increased significantly after breast augmentation. In contrast, patient-reported physical well-being yielded ambivalent results, varying by mammaplasty technique and postoperative follow-up time. Plastic surgeons should be sensitized about our findings to refine eligibility criteria and gain a deeper understanding of patients’ perceived surgical experience.