D.onna X Donna presented on September 16 at Palazzo Giustiniani in Rome the 2022 report on breast reconstruction and patients’ rights (on stand-by) to take advantage of the best opportunities.
A report photographs the choices of patients after mastectomy.
Breast reconstruction: the data
Half of the total mastectomy operations performed every year in Italy (13 thousand) are followed by breast reconstruction. In many cases following timing not optimalaccording to Woman x Woman, Beautiful after Breast Cancer Italia Onlus project involving over 70 breast, psycho-oncologists and plastic surgeons operating in the Italian Breast Units.
The project report Donna X Donna
The project presented on September 15 at Palazzo Giustiniani in Rome aims to offer women complete information on the opportunities for reconstruction breast after cancer in Italy. The goal is to ensure that patients are aware of all surgical options, including benefits and risks, to contribute to the restoration of their psychophysical integrity.
The most popular choice: two-stage reconstruction
The relationship Woman x woman on the state of breast reconstruction examined data from 14 Breast Units in 2019 and 2020. Breast reconstruction in 54 percent of cases it was done in two stages (expander and prosthesis) in 40 percent of cases breast reconstruction was immediate. In a one time with mastectomy, 5% of the cases involved microsurgical reconstructions with flaps, i.e. the patient’s tissue. Basically similar figures (45 per cent, 49 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively) in the following year.
The report recommends reconstructive surgery soon after the mastectomy.
Breast reconstruction: the guidelines
Immediate breast reconstruction, that is in the same operating session as the mastectomy is considered by the Guidelines of the Italian association of medical oncology (Aiom) of 2020 the most desirable option for each patient because it improves the quality of life of women and numerous studies and reviews have highlighted it the benefits especially from a psychological point of view and the recovery of psychophysical integrity.
Immediate rebuilding, because it’s better
Immediate breast reconstruction it is therefore considered more recommendable than the two-stage breast reconstruction, which involves two surgeries and two separate hospitalizations (the first with the mastectomy with the insertion of the expander, and after months or years, a second operation for breast reconstruction).
The use of their own fabrics
Among the possibilities available to women today, the Woman x Woman relationship emphasizes, there is also that of use their own fabrics.
the reimbursement system for hospitals decided by the different Italian regions not recognizes any reimbursement for immediate breast reconstruction, despite being included in the recognition parameters of the 194 Italian Breast Units and despite being presented by the recent Aiom guidelines as the most desirable option.
Zero refunds for microsurgery
If you are using the immediate breast reconstruction option also l” use of microsurgery techniques with the use of own tissues they do not provide for reimbursement, together with the co-correction of the contralateral breast to the reconstructed one, performed in the same operation.
No Refunds for Preventive Mastectomy
The supermodel Bianca Balti has declared that she carries the BRCA genes.
Reimbursements for immediate breast reconstruction are not provided in the majority of regions even when it is a preventive mastectomy for women with genetic mutations-BRCA, that predispose to a high risk of breast cancer, the condition made known by the story of Angelina Jolie and more recently by the supermodel Bianca Balti.
Refunds and deferred breast reconstruction
The rdeferred breast construction instead, it has its own refund code, even if theextent varies greatly from one region to another and from one technique to another (with rates that sometimes double between the minimum and maximum reimbursement).
What DonnaXDonna asks
The more than 70 women’s health professionals participating in the Donnax Donna project ask for the greater equality of treatment for patients residing in different regionssmoother repayments, too encouraging breast reconstruction performed in a single session with mastectomy, «In most cases possible and recommendable. A single intervention would lead a clear saving for the state finances and it is definitely a strong point for the psychophysical well-being of patientsThey write.
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