Developing an International Framework for Informed Consent in Plastic Surgery: A Focus on Cosmetic Breast Augmentation.

Background: Informed consent is a fundamental pillar of patient rights and is an essential part of good clinical practice. In 2019, the International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies launched a survey to collect feedback on informed consent practices, with an aim to develop an international guideline for cosmetic surgery. Methods: A 15-question survey was sent to delegates of the International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies for dissemination to their national society members. The survey comprised a range of quantitative and qualitative questions. Descriptive and thematic analysis was performed. Results: There were 364 respondents. Over half of the respondents reported no local informed consent policy, whereas others noted national society, specialist college, or government policies. The majority of respondents believed that the performing surgeon should be responsible for obtaining informed consent with at least two face-to-face consultations. Most respondents agreed with a cooling-off period (duration based on procedure type and use of high-risk devices). Regarding cosmetic breast augmentation, the majority of respondents felt that the performing surgeon should be responsible for postoperative management, including cases that occur as part of surgical tourism. Some respondents incorporate financial consent as part of their informed consent practice. Most supported the development of an international informed consent guideline. Conclusions: Informed consent should result from face-to-face consultations with the performing surgeon. There should be a minimum cooling-off period. Postoperative surveillance should be available in all settings. The findings of this survey will help inform an international standardized informed consent guideline for cosmetic surgery.

The Mark Sheldon Remote Mental Health Team: an evaluation of patient demographics, diagnoses and clinical management in very remote Central Australia.

OBJECTIVE: The Mark Sheldon Remote Mental Health Team provides psychiatric services to 29 communities in very remote Central Australia. This study evaluated Mark Sheldon Remote Mental Health Team patient demographics, diagnoses and clinical management. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional review was performed for January 2020. Variables included age, sex, Indigenous status, diagnosis, legal status, medication class and route of administration. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients were identified (85.6% Indigenous, 53.3% male). Schizophrenia and delusional disorders were most common (41.1%). A small proportion of patients (2.8%) were involuntary. Psychotropic medication was commonly prescribed (77.4%) with a low threshold for anti-psychotic depot use (51.5%). Oral medication rates varied according to class. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided insights into the demographic and clinical profile of a unique population. The findings will help to optimise patient management in very remote Central Australia and serve as a foundation for similar evaluations and comparisons with other remote psychiatric services.

Mental illness as a predictor of patient attendance and anthropometric changes: observations from an Australian publicly funded obesity management service.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is associated with co-morbid mental illness. The Canberra Obesity Management Service (OMS) supports adults with severe obesity who have the psychosocial capacity to engage. This study will determine whether mental illness is a predictor of OMS attendance and anthropometric changes. METHOD: A retrospective audit was performed from July 2016 to June 2017. Baseline characteristics, attendance and anthropometrics were stratified according to the presence of mental illness. Outcomes included weight stabilisation and clinically significant weight loss. Descriptive analyses were performed. RESULTS: Mental illness was present in 60/162 patients (37%). Attendance was similar for those with and without mental illness. Patients with mental illness had twice as many co-morbidities (p = .001). Depressive disorders were most common (n = 28, 47%). Anxiety, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, and trauma- and stressor-related disorders also featured. Weight stabilisation was achieved by 25 patients (66%) with mental illness and 25 (35%) without. Clinically significant weight loss was observed in 10 patients (26%) with and 26 (40%) without mental illness. CONCLUSION: The presence of mental illness did not impact OMS attendance or weight stabilisation. The higher rate of co-morbidities in those with mental illness highlights the challenges faced by this vulnerable population.

Determining patient attendance, access to interventions and clinical outcomes in a publicly funded obesity programme: Results from the Canberra Obesity Management Service.

Multi-disciplinary specialist services have a crucial role in the management of patients with obesity. As demand for these services increases, so too does the need to monitor individual service performance and compare outcomes across multiple sites. This paper reports on results from the publicly funded Canberra Obesity Management Service. A descriptive observational study was conducted on new patients who attended an initial medical review from July 2016 to June 2017. Baseline characteristics, comorbidities, attendance, service utilization and outcomes were collated until June 2018. Of the 162 patients identified, 64% continued to attend beyond initial medical review. Dietetics was the most commonly accessed allied health service, followed by exercise physiology and psychology. Very low-energy diet was the most commonly trialled intensive intervention, followed by pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery. Mean baseline weight for those who continued beyond initial medical review was 142.0 kg (SD 26.6 kg), with a mean weight change of -6.2 kg (SD 10.2 kg) and a mean change in percentage body weight of -5% (SD 7%). Clinically significant weight loss was achieved in 36% of these patients, with a further 47% achieving weight stabilization. Mean Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale scores reduced from 8-6-8 to 7-5-5, and mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores decreased from 8/24 to 6/24. Polysomnography referrals were made for 37% of all new patients, 87% of whom were diagnosed with varying degrees of obstructive sleep apnoea. We present these findings in the hope that they may serve as an example for data collection, individual service monitoring and comparison across multiple obesity services.

Establishing Priorities for the International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies.

BACKGROUND: The mission of the International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies (ICOPLAST) is to improve patient outcomes through collaboratively structured processes in education, advocacy and communication. This article explains how we approached the task of establishing priorities for this nascent confederation in an equitable and achievable manner. METHODS: In late 2016, an online survey was sent to the inaugural 62 ICOPLAST member national societies for dissemination to their respective plastic surgeon members. Functional domains and proposed initiatives were ranked according to their level of importance by individual plastic surgeons. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 572 plastic surgeons. As a functional domain, education was highly ranked by 75.3% of respondents, followed by patient safety (67.4%), communication (59.3%), humanitarian (46.6%), regulation (41.2%), and advocacy (41.1%). Respondents also ranked individual initiatives within each domain to produce a compilation list of the top 13 initiatives of importance. CONCLUSION: This study has identified priorities of importance to ICOPLAST members, which will aid in building a strategic framework and enhancing outcomes for patients, plastic surgeons, and the field of plastic surgery more broadly.

Cosmetic tourism for breast augmentation: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The medical tourism industry, and in particular cosmetic tourism for breast augmentation, is becoming an increasingly popular global phenomenon. The objective of this study is to determine the extent of medical literature and the patient risk profiles associated with cosmetic tourism for breast augmentation both locally and abroad. DATA SOURCES: OVID MEDLINE, OVID Embase, Cochrane Central and Proquest electronic databases. METHODS: The search was conducted through to April 2017. Studies pertaining entirely or partly to cosmetic tourism for breast augmentation were considered for inclusion. Exclusion criteria included non-English articles, studies relating to non-cosmetic or non-implant breast augmentation, and studies that did not separately report on findings associated with breast augmentation abroad. RESULTS: We identified 17 observational studies. Common destinations included Europe, South America and South East Asia. Infectious complications were common. Wound dehiscence and aesthetic dissatisfaction also featured. Catastrophic outcomes such as sepsis, intubation and ventilation, radical bilateral mastectomy, irreversible hypoxic brain injury and death were also reported. There were expectations that home country health systems would treat complications and provide non-medically indicated revision procedures. The burden on home country health systems was evident from a public health perspective. CONCLUSION: Determining the extent of cosmetic tourism for breast augmentation, including outcomes and complications, will help to inform Australian patients who this seek procedure abroad. Furthermore, it will aid in better understanding the health system implications and may help to guide future research and public health interventions both locally and internationally.