Comparison of Short-Term Surgical Outcomes Between NHS and Private Sector Abdominoplasty Surgery

NHS

Private

Number of patients

Age, years^a

38 ± 8.9

43 ± 11

Sex

Male

Female

Body mass index^a

27 ± 3

26 ± 3.5

Smoker

Yes

Not recorded

No of comorbidities per patient^a

0.45 ± 0.9

0.29 ± 0.6

^aMean ± SD

The null hypothesis was that there is no difference in these outcomes between patients undergoing an abdominoplasty procedure in the NHS or in the UK private sector. Collected data was subjected to parametric testing using the independent samples t test, and a p < 0.05 was considered significant.

44.3 Results

Between 1 January 2005 and 30 June 2011, 67 patients underwent abdominoplasty within the NHS. Three sets of notes were unavailable at the time of investigation leaving a cohort of 64 NHS patients. During this time period, 53 patients underwent abdominoplasty in the private sector. Two sets of notes were unavailable for review leaving a cohort of 51 private patients.

Table 44.2 shows the results (median and range). Hospital stay (p. 000), number of operating surgeons (p. 000), time to drain removal (p. 000), and total drainage volume (p. 007) were greater in the NHS cohort compared to the private cohort. The number of clinic visits was greater in the private cohort (p. 004).

Table 44.2

Short-term surgical outcomes in patients undergoing abdominoplasty in the NHS and private sector

	NHS	Private	p
Hospital stay^a (days)	3	2	.000
Hospital stay^a (days)	9	3	.000
Number of surgeons^a	2	1	.000
Number of surgeons^a	3	0	.000
Operation time (minutes)	130	141	.106
Operation time (minutes)	140	182	.106
Time to drain removal^a (days)	3	2	.000
Time to drain removal^a (days)	9	2	.000
Total drainage volume^a (mL)	142.5	75	.007
Total drainage volume^a (mL)	3525	600	.007
Number of complications	0	0	.759
Number of complications	3	5	.759
Number of clinic visits postoperatively^a	2	4	.004
Number of clinic visits postoperatively^a	7	43	.004
Time to discharge from follow-up (months)	3	3	.891
Time to discharge from follow-up (months)	28	35	.891