The study included 202 women who underwent primary breast augmentation surgery in Stockholm, Sweden, and is one of the first to gauge the effectiveness of the VECTRA 3-D system from the patient's perspective.
"This study confirms what we've observed at our Destin practice since we added the VECTRA 3-D system," Dr. William Burden says. "Our patients getting breast augmentation in Florida and these women in Sweden believe the system helps them visualize the results of their surgery. It's a wonderful tool that removes much of the anxiety surrounding the procedure."
The study, published in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery , the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons , concludes that 3-D imaging has a positive effect on all aspects of breast augmentation from start to finish.
Among the study's other conclusions: Patients prefer a plastic surgery practice that offers the 3-D technology, and they feel the device's simulation "is very accurate and helps them ... in choosing" breast implants.
Using 3-D imaging prior to breast augmentation, the study found, also removes much of the "buyer's remorse" women sometimes experience after surgery, specifically for patients who wish they had selected larger implants. Of the study's participants, more than 80 percent said they would choose the same implant again.
"That's significant," says Dr. Scott Ennis of Destin Plastic Surgery. "Patients are often very conservative when choosing the size of breast implants," the Florida surgeon says. "Then, after seeing the results, they wish they chosen larger implants."
Another finding of the study was that an independent panel graded the similarity of the 3-D images from the VECTRA system to the actual breasts after surgery and said that the simulation was "very accurate" in 86% of cases.
The surgeons in Destin agreed that they have seen very accurate simulations in their use of the system.
"It really is impressive," Dr. Burden says. "The images are very realistic."
