Background and study aims: Decreased scarring is an advantage of minimally invasive surgery. The new experimental
technique of natural orifice transluminal surgery (NOTES) aims at totally scarless
surgery. We examined the general attitudes of patients and unaffected persons towards
scarless surgery.
Methods and participants: We used a 7-item questionnaire in structured interviews with hospital visitors, following
detailed standardized explanation of terms used and of possible complications, to
groups of 10 participants, during an “open ward” day. A visual analog scale (VAS)
from 1 (none) to 10 (very much) was used for all but one item. Questions concerned
the importance of cosmetic results in abdominal surgery, satisfaction regarding existing
scars, hypothetical acceptance of increased risk as a trade-off for the absence of
scars, and other issues. Data were analyzed for participants overall, and for three
age groups and both sexes.
Results: 292 participants (male : female 1 : 1; mean age 43 years) completed the questionnaire.
Cosmetic issues were rated as important (median 8), but acceptance of existing scars
was also high in those affected (median 8, n = 68). Approval of scarless surgery decreased
with a presumed risk increase (from score 9 down to score 5), and overall an increase
in risk of 10 % was judged to be acceptable as a trade-off for total absence of scarring.
Younger people tended to be less satisfied with scars, but were also less inclined
than older people to accept higher surgical risk in this hypothetical context.
Conclusions: People generally seem to favor scarless abdominal surgery, even with some increase
in risk.
References
monika.hagen@hcuge.ch
