Importance of plastic surgery for women with mastectomies and the role of Brazilian Unified Health System: integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: The benefits of performing breast reconstruction in mastectomized patients go far beyond aesthetics, contributing to a woman’s emotional health, selfesteem and sex life. Thus, this study aimed to address the relevance of performing plastic surgery in women with mastectomies in Brazil and highlight women’s rights within the Brazilian Unified Health System during the process. Methods: For this, an integrative qualitative review was carried out through data collection on the SciELO, PubMed and LILACS platforms, in addition to a complementary search on Google Scholar. The articles included in the study were analyzed using the content method. Results: In total, 21 articles were included, in which it was observed that women with mastectomies reported feelings of fear, shame, suffering, reduced sexuality and dissatisfaction. It was also observed that these feelings decreased after performing the cosmetic procedure. Conclusion: Because the breasts represent a symbol of sensuality and female pride, it is extremely important that the Brazilian Unified Health System, as well as health professionals, are trained to welcome and resolve the patients’ doubts, ensuring that there is no negligence in the care and providing a decent treatment.

Keywords

• quality of life
• breast
• mammaplasty
• mastectomy
• sexuality