ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the quality of breast reconstruction service at a university hospital, as assessed by the patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled adult women who underwent immediate or delayed breast reconstruction by any technique performed at a university hospital between 1 and 24 months before the assessment. The Brazilian version of the Health Service Quality Scale (HSQS) was self-applied to the participants. The HSQS produces percentage scores, which are expressed in values ranging from 0 to 10 for each domain of the scale, and into an overall percentage quality score. The management team was asked to establish a minimum satisfactory score for the breast reconstruction service. Results: Ninety patients were included. The management team considered 8.00 the minimum satisfactory score for the service. The overall percentage score was 93.3%. Only one domain, ‘Support,’ had an average score lower than that considered satisfactory (7.22 ± 3.0); while the others had higher scores. The domain that scored highest was ‘Qualification’ (9.94 ± 0.3), followed by ‘Result’ (9.86 ± 0.4). There was a positive correlation between ‘type of oncologic surgery’ and ‘intentions of loyalty to the service’ (ρ = 0.272; p = 0.009) and a negative correlation between ‘education’ and ‘quality of the environment’ (ρ = –0.218; p = 0.039). The higher the patient’s level of education, the higher the score attributed to ‘relationship’ (ρ = 0.261; p = 0.013) and the lower the score of ‘aesthetics and functionality’ (ρ = –0.237; p = 0.024). Conclusions: The quality of the breast reconstruction service was considered satisfactory, but there is a demand for structural improvements, better interpersonal relationships, and a stronger support network for patients.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the histology and histomorphometry of healing associated with acellular dermal matrix in skin wounds in rabbits. METHODS: Twelve male rabbits were divided into two groups: the control group (CG) and the matrix group (MG). Three skin wounds with a total area of 20 × 20 mm were created on the dorsal region of each animal. Photographic records of the lesions taken over a 21-day period and use of the ImageJ program allowed calculation of the wound contraction rate. The lesions were biopsied on days 3, 14 and 21 for histomorphometric analysis to define the thicknesses of the dermis and epidermis (hematoxylin-eosin) and calculate the densities of type I and type III collagen (picrosirius). RESULTS: No significant difference in the healing rate was found between the groups (p>0.05). The MG presented greater epidermal thickness on day 3 (p<0.05) and on days 14 and 21 (p<0.001). The MG presented greater dermal thickness throughout the study period (p<0.05). The type I collagen density was higher in the MG throughout the study period (p<0.05), and the type III collagen density was higher in the MG on days 3 and 14 (p<0.05) and on day 21 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of acellular dermal matrix increased the thickness of the dermal and epidermal layers and the amount of type I and III collagen during skin wound healing and did not alter the rate of wound contraction.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop a free smartphone application with reliable and useful information for the lay public on the most frequently performed plastic surgeries worldwide. METHODS: The five most frequently performed surgeries worldwide according to ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) were selected. Information from the websites of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP) and from the Outpatient and Hospital Medicine Guide of the Plastic Surgery Division at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) was used for content assembly. YouTube videos with patients’ postoperative testimonials were used for an improved understanding of their real concerns. Printed text was distributed to patients in Brazil’s Unified Health Service to improve comprehensibility. Content on each of the five surgeries was presented in the application with the following layout: What is the surgery?; Who are the candidates?; Preparations for surgery; Stages of surgery; Recovery after surgery; Complications; Choice of surgeon; Consultation; What is the cost? and Glossary. All material was delivered to an outsourced company to produce the application software. RESULTS: The result was the creation of an application with extensive content on the most frequently performed plastic surgeries. CONCLUSION: The UNIFESP Info Plastica application is an academically based, free and reliable source of information for the lay public interested in all aspects of the most frequently performed plastic surgeries worldwide.