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| Reconstructive Procedures |
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| Informed Consent |
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GYNECOMASTIA
INSTRUCTIONS
This is an informed-consent document that has been prepared to help your plastic surgeon inform you of gynecomastia reduction mammaplasty surgery, its risks, and alternative treatment.
It is important that you read this information carefully and completely. Please initial each page, indicating that you have read the page and sign the consent for surgery as proposed by your plastic surgeon.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Men who have an increase in breast tissue may experience a variety of problems from the weight, size and density of their breasts. Breast reduction is usually performed for relief of these symptoms rather than to enhance the appearance of the breasts. The best candidates are those who are mature enough to understand the procedure and have realistic expectations about the results. There are a variety of different surgical techniques used to reduce and reshape the male breast. There are both risks and complications associated with gynecomastia surgery.
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT
Gynecomastia reduction mammaplasty is an elective surgical operation. Alternative treatment would consist of not undergoing the surgical procedure. In selected patients, liposuction has been used to reduce the size of large breasts. Risks and potential complications are associated with alternative surgical forms of treatment.
RISKS OF GYNECOMASTIA REDUCTION MAMMAPLASTY SURGERY
Every surgical procedure involves a certain amount of risk. It is important that you understand the risks involved with gynecomastia reduction mammaplasty. An individual's choice to undergo a surgical procedure is based on the comparison of the risk to potential benefit. Although the majority of men do not experience the following complications, you should discuss each of them with your plastic surgeon to make sure you understand the risks, potential complications and consequences of breast reduction.
BLEEDING
It is possible, through unusual, to experience a bleeding episode during or after surgery. Should post-operative bleeding occur, it may require emergency treatment to drain accumulated blood or a possible blood transfusion. Do not take any aspirin or any aspirin or anti-inflammatory medication for ten days prior to your surgery as this may increase the risks of bleeding.
INFECTION
An infection is quite unusual after this type of surgery. Should an infection occur, treatment including antibiotics or additional surgery may be necessary.
SKIN SCARRING
All surgical incisions produce scarring. The quality of these scars is unpredictable. Abnormal scars may occur within the skin and deeper tissue. In some cases, scars may require surgical revision or other treatments.
UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS
There is the possibility of a poor result from the gynecomastia reduction mammaplasty surgery. You may be disappointed with the size and shape of your breasts.
PAIN
Abnormal scarring in skin and the deeper tissues of the breast may produce pain.
FIRMNESS
Excessive firmness of the breast can occur after surgery due to internal scarring or fat necrosis. The occurrence of this is not predictable. If an area of fat necrosis or scarring appears, this may require biopsy or additional surgical treatment.
DELAYED HEALING
Wound disruption or delayed wound healing is possible. Some areas of the breast skin or nipple region may not heal normally and may take a long time to heal. It is even possible to have loss of skin or nipple tissue. This may require frequent dressing changes or further surgery to remove the non-healed tissue.
ASYMMETRY
Some breast asymmetry naturally occurs. Differences in breast and nipple shape, size, or symmetry may also occur after surgery Additional surgery may be necessary to revise asymmetry after a gynecomastia reduction mammaplasty.
ALLERGIC REACTIONS
In rare cases, local allergies to tape, suture material, or topical preparations have been reported. Systemic reactions which are more serious may occur to drugs used during surgery and prescription medicines. Allergic reactions may require additional treatment.
NIPPLE LOSS
There is a small chance of complete nipple and areola loss. Additional there may be a mottle pigmentation of the nipple-areola complex.
SURGICAL ANESTHESIA
Both local and general anesthesia involve risk. There is the possibility of complication, injury, and even death from all forms of surgical anesthesia or sedation.
ADDITIONAL SURGERY NECESSARY
There are many variable conditions that may influence the long-term result of gynecomastia reduction mammaplasty. Secondary surgery may be necessary to perform additional tightening or reposition of the breasts. Should complications occur, additional surgery or other treatments may be necessary. Even though risks and complications occur infrequently, the risks cited are particularly associated with breast reduction surgery. Other complications and risks can occur but are even more uncommon. The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee or warrantee expressed or implied, on the results that may be obtained.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Depending on your particular health insurance plan, breast reduction surgery may be considered a covered benefit. There may be additional requirements in terms of the amount of breast tissue to be removed and duration of physical problems caused by large breasts. Breast reductions involving removal of small amounts of tissue may not be covered by your insurance. Please review your health insurance subscriber-information pamphlet, call your insurance company, and discuss this further with your plastic surgeon. Many insurance plans exclude coverage for secondary or revisionary surgery.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The cost of surgery involves several charges for the services provided. The total includes fees charged by your doctor, the cost of surgical supplies, anesthesia, laboratory tests, and possible outpatient hospital charges, depending on where the surgery is performed. Depending on whether the cost of surgery is covered by an insurance plan, you will be responsible for necessary co-payments, deductibles, and charges not covered. Additional costs may occur should complications develop from the surgery. Secondary surgery or hospital day-surgery charges involved with revisionary surgery would also be your responsibility.
DISCLAIMER
Informed-consent documents are used to communicate information about the proposed surgical treatment of a disease or condition along with disclosure of risks and alternative forms of treatment(s). The informed-consent process attempts to define principles of risk disclosure that should generally meet the needs of most patients in most circumstances.
However, informed consent documents should not be considered all inclusive in defining other methods of care and risks encountered. Your plastic surgeon may provide you with additional or different information which is based on all the facts in your particular case and the state of medical knowledge.
Informed-consent documents are not intended to define or serve as the standard of medical care. Standards of medical care are determined on the basis of all of the facts involved in an individual case and are subject to change as scientific knowledge and technology advance and as practice patterns evolve.
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