Post-bariatric surgery reconstruction: patient myths, perceptions, cost, and attainability strategies.

Background: A discrepancy exists between patient perceptions of post-bariatric surgery reconstruction and cost, value, and ultimate attainability. The authors investigated prospective gastric bypass patients to identify misconceptions and strategies to aid in the attainability of post-bariatric surgery reconstruction.
Methods: One hundred seventy-six prospective gastric bypass patients were surveyed for perceptions of plastic surgery, a "club" concept integrating plastic surgical/bariatric teams, and payment strategies. Cost comparisons were set up for comparison with major consumer purchases. Outcome measures were assessed by univariate analyses.
Results: One hundred seventy-four patients (139 women and 35 men; mean age, 42.3 years; mean body mass index, 49.3) completed the survey; 65.9 percent expressed an interest in plastic surgery (women were more interested than men) (p < 0.05); 73.1 percent wanted their plastic surgeon affiliated with the bariatric surgeon/team; 47 percent wanted to meet the plastic surgeon before their gastric bypass; and 14.4 percent equated the cost of a total body lift to the cost of a new car versus 31.9 percent for a trip to Disneyworld, 23.8 percent for a television, and 16.3 percent for a radio. Estimated costs for plastic surgery were undervalued by 60 percent. Sixty percent were interested in a club with a monthly fee that would go toward future plastic surgery. Other payment strategies were less popular. None of the independent variables predicted the degree of interest in any particular plan.
Conclusions: Future gastric bypass patients, particularly women, are a unique population with common misconceptions regarding post-bariatric surgery reconstruction. Early patient education and financial awareness, in combination with preexisting or newly created bariatric centers, may improve attainability for this population.