Five critical decisions in breast augmentation using five measurements in 5 minutes: the high five decision support process.

BACKGROUND: Surgeons' decisions impact patient outcomes and implant effects on tissues over time. Tissue assessment systems that provide quantitative, objective data enable objective rather than subjective decisions. First-generation dimensional systems for breast augmentation defined a desired result dimensionally and recommended an implant to force tissues to the desired result. A second-generation system, the TEPID system, defines measurements to match the implant to the patient's tissue characteristics, instead of forcing tissues to a desired result. This study defines a third-generation decision support process that prioritizes five critical decisions, identifies five key measurements, and completes all preoperative assessment and operative planning decisions in breast augmentation in 5 minutes or less.
METHODS: Key decision parameters and data from more than 2300 primary augmentations planned using the TEPID system were analyzed to define the five most critical decisions that affect reoperation rates and risks of uncorrectable deformities and to define a decision support process using five critical measurements.
RESULTS: In 1664 cases with up to 7 years of follow-up, the overall reoperation rate was 3 percent, and the reoperation rate for implant size exchange was 0.2 percent. The junior author's (Adams) clinical experience includes more than 300 augmentations with up to 6 years of follow-up using this system, with an overall reoperation rate of 2.8 percent.
CONCLUSION: The High Five decision support process prioritizes five critical decisions in breast augmentation and enables surgeons to address all preoperative assessment and operative planning decisions in breast augmentation in 5 minutes or less.