ABSTRACT
Reduction mammaplasty is performed typically to alleviate the painful physical symptoms of macromastia. Women who suffer from macromastia also frequently present to the plastic surgeon with heightened body image dissatisfaction and maladaptive behavioral changes in response to their breast size. Numerous investigations have demonstrated improvement in physical symptoms after breast reduction surgery. Studies have also suggested that psychological improvement occurs postoperatively; however, they have not used well-validated, standardized psychological measures. The present study is a retrospective analysis of the physical and psychological status of women who underwent reduction mammaplasty. One hundred ten patients who underwent a reduction mammaplasty between 1982 and 1996 were mailed a packet of questionnaires designed to assess current physical symptoms and body image. Sixty-one of the 110 patients (55 percent) responded. The vast majority reported substantial improvement or elimination of neck, back, shoulder, and breast pain, grooving from bra straps, poor posture, skin irritation, and social embarrassment. In addition, they reported significantly less dissatisfaction with their breasts as compared with a sample of breast reduction patients assessed preoperatively. Symptom relief and improved body image occurred independently of preoperative body weight, as we found few significant differences between obese and non-obese women concerning the resolution of physical symptoms or improvement in body image. Results provide further evidence of the efficacy of reduction mammaplasty not only for relief of physical symptoms but also for alleviation of body image dissatisfaction.
Subject(s)
Body Image , Mammaplasty/psychology , Adult , Breast/pathology , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Obesity/pathology , Obesity/psychology , Pain/etiology , Patient Satisfaction , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Microfixation and wire fixation techniques were used in combination with miniplates in the stabilization of simulated simple zygoma fractures in four fresh human cadaver heads. An orthogonal conveyer and rigid steel test frame were used to test rotational stability after deforming forces were applied. After testing multiple combinations at an initial deforming force of 5 kg, selected combinations were tested over a range of 2 to 22 kg. Evaluation of force-displacement data revealed that three-point fixation with miniplates was superior to all other methods, in agreement with previous studies. The combination of lateral buttress miniplate fixation in conjunction with microfixation at the zygomaticofrontal and infraorbital rim regions exhibited stable characteristics over the range of forces applied. Miniplate-microplate combinations exhibited greater stability than corresponding miniplate-wire combinations. The combination of miniplate-microplate fixation clinically allows a balance between stability and aesthetics in selected zygoma fractures.
Subject(s)
Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods , Zygomatic Fractures/surgery , Biomechanical Phenomena , Bone Plates , Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation , HumansABSTRACT
Barium ingestion is a routine practice in the radiologic examination of the alimentary tract. Barium intravasation is a rare complication, often resulting in the rapid onset of hypotension and death. The literature on this type of complication is sparse. In the majority of reported cases, the event involved high pressure barium instillation. This case illustrates the rare occurrence of barium in the portal venous circulation after an upper gastrointestinal examination.
