Getting a Breast Implant or Two at a Surgery Center May Be More Efficient

A recent study stated that women having cosmetic surgeries on their breasts found that they spent less time at the facility if they opted to have their procedures at a surgery center rather than a hospital. While a breast implant can be done at either location, women often, mistakenly, assume that a hospital setting is best. While there are some benefits to being at a hospital, and most women choose a surgeon who has hospital privileges in case something goes wrong during their procedure, there are some decided benefits to having the procedure done at a plastic surgery center.

According to the recent study, which was published in the American Journal of Surgery, those who are having surgery on their breasts spent an average of 69 fewer minutes at the ambulatory surgery center versus a hospital setting. While some may think this means they received less attentive care, the fact is that it simply means there was less waiting for doctors and nurses after surgery for breast implants or other treatments.

The study looked at the numbers from an ambulatory surgery center that closed in 2005, comparing the wait times to that for patients from the same demographic that had their surgeries at the hospital after the center closed. Ninety-two patients at each facility were compared, and the study looked at recovery room events, anesthetic techniques, and duration of stay.

Recovery times and age for the patients in both studies were similar, and few faced complications no matter which facility they had their procedures. Interestingly, out of the 92 patients surveyed at each setting, 10 of the hospital patients reported having excessive pain, while only three at the ambulatory surgery center.

So where did the additional time come into play? According to the study, women seeking a breast implant and other surgeries on their breasts waited in the preoperative area much longer at the hospital. So it appears that after-care was the same at both facilities.

So what does this mean for patients considering getting breast implants? If your surgeon offers treatment in a surgery center rather than the hospital, you do not need to be concerned. Not only will the treatment be more efficient and take less of your valuable time, but you just might find that your needs are met better. At a surgery center, you are treated like a valuable patient, rather than just a number. The personal attention you receive will be markedly different at a surgery center compared with a hospital.

As far as technology, you will find that most surgery centers have the latest technological advances used in breast implants and other cosmetic procedures. They may not have all of the medical technology a hospital has, but that is because they are not treating cancer and mending broken bones. They are helping you look great, and thus will spend their money on the technology that correlates with the procedures they provide. So rest assured you will get high quality care, and maybe even better care, at a surgery center.