Misconceptions, Myths, and Mystery: A Cross-sectional Survey Study on Public Knowledge and Values of Microsurgery

Abstract

Background: Microsurgery is a foundational plastic surgery principle. However, public unawareness of microsurgery and its associated rigorous training in the USA, may contribute to current misconceptions and undervaluing of plastic and reconstructive surgeons (PRS). This study aims to characterize public knowledge of microsurgery. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to September 2021 using Amazon Mechanical Turk to assess baseline public knowledge of microsurgery. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate the association between baseline knowledge and demographic characteristics. Significance was set to a p<0.05. Results: A total of 516 responses were analyzed. The mean age was 36.7 SD 16.04 years (White 84%, and non-Hispanic 70%). Of those surveyed, 52% agreed that general surgeons perform microsurgery, while only 28% agreed that PRS perform microsurgery. When asked if head and neck reconstruction, breast reconstruction, and finger replantation required microsurgery, only 28%, 41%, and 41% of respondents agreed, respectively. When controlled for sociodemographic factors, Hispanics had significantly more odds to mistake that head and neck reconstruction did not require microsurgery (OR 0.49, 0.30–0.80, p 0.004) and less odds to consider PRS for reconstruction (OR 0.51, 0.32–0.84, p 0.008). Females had 1.63 more odds of considering PRS for reconstruction (1.09–2.43 p 0.017). Low-educated subjects had significantly more odds to consider general surgeons as those who performed reconstructive microsurgery (OR 8.70, 1.09–69.40, p 0.041) Conclusions: Misconceptions of microsurgery as a foundational principle of plastic surgery persist and correlate with undervaluing the specialty. Knowledge differs by ethnicity, level of education, and gender. Therefore, patient counseling should use culturally appropriate elements to demystify microsurgery, build value, and better inform risks and benefits.

Language Disparity Predicts Poor Patient-Reported Outcome and Follow-Up in Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction

“…Thus, providers may offer preemptive counseling and guidance regarding sexual wellbeing or chest physical wellbeing to patients, especially those with limited English proficiency, to guard against these disparities. Preemptive counseling and expectation setting with patients undergoing breast reconstruction are crucial for optimizing post-operative satisfaction as expectations are closely linked with outcome satisfaction in surgical procedures 42,43,44 . However, the especially large gap in chest physical wellbeing is worthy of further investigations given similar rates of recipient site complications between the cohorts.…”