Physical and psychological changes in patients with traumatic deformities during the treatment of tissue expansion / 中华整形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was to investigate the somatic symptoms and sychological specialties in trauma-deformed patients during tissue expansion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using our own questionnaires, fifty-seven patients were solicited to answer the questionnaires in three different treatment periods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was found that local distension, pain and tickle were the common symptoms during expansion, while distension was most specific (P < 0.01). Pain and tickle also happened before implanting and after taking out of the expander. The patients often had high expectation toward tissue expansion. They felt nervous and anxious (P < 0.01) during expansion. Their emotion and healthy self-evaluation changed obviously in different treatment periods (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Local distension is the most specific symptom during tissue expansion. Nervousness and anxiety are common in patients at that time. Their emotion change from depression to happy at first, and then from happy to slight depression.</p>