Exsel, D.C.E. van (2013) Inventarisatiestudie naar het gebruik van alternatieve geneeskunde onder blefaroplastiekpatiënten. thesis, Medicine.
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Abstract
Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of alternative medicine, also summarized with the term ‘complementary and alternative medicine’ (CAM). According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), 9% of the Dutch population makes use of a form of alternative medicine annually, with homeopathy and phytotherapy (herbal medicine) being most commonly practiced. Several studies have shown that the use of phytotherapy among surgical patients is higher than in the general population. The prevailing idea that alternative medicines are “natural” and therefore safe is a misconception. Several studies have been relating the use of alternative medicine to bleeding complications. Intraoperative and postoperative bleeding are highly undesirable, because not only the patients’ safety is at risk, but also the postoperative outcome. No data are available about the prevalence of the use of alternative medicine among Dutch plastic surgery patients. Objective: To examine the prevalence of use of homeopathic and phytotherapeutic medicine among plastic surgery blepharoplasty patients in the Netherlands. Method: A retrospective, descriptive, survey study was conducted in a large general hospital in the Netherlands. All patients who had undergone a blepharoplasty in 2012 (n = 416) were approached by telephone and asked to participate in this a questionnaire study. Statistical analysis was done by using non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test, Fischer’s exact test and Chi-square test. Results: Out of 416 patients, 385 could be approached for participation and 361 patients were willing to respond to the questionnaire (93.8%). 101 patients (28%) were taking homeopathic or phytotherapeutic medicine. The application of alternative medicine was higher among women (32.2%) than among men (14.8%) (p<0.005). “Users” of alternative medicine made less use of regular medicine than “non-users” (p<0.05). The top four products were Arnica (64.4% of “users”), Fish oil / Omega 3 fatty acids (19.8%), Glucosamine (12.9%) and Echinacea (11.9%). 30 out of 101 patients (29.7%) mentioned their usage of alternative medicine to their treating surgeon, while only 5 patients (5%) were specially asked about it by their surgeon. There was no difference between “users” and “non-users” in the occurrence of patient-reported complications. Women and “users” believed more in the efficacy of alternative medicine than men and “non-users” (p<0.05). There was no difference in satisfaction with treatment and satisfaction with outcome between men and women and between “users” and “non-users”. Conclusion: With 28% the prevalence of use of alternative medicine in plastic surgery patients undergoing blepharoplasty is substantial. Although patient satisfaction with alternative medicine appeared to be high, only little attention was paid to the application of alternative medicine at time of the preoperative consultation between patient and surgeon. Importantly, a majority of patients demonstrated that they were unaware of potential complications related to using alternative medicine.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Thesis) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Uchelen, J.H. van |
| Supervisor name: | Melenhorst, Dr. W.B.W.H. and Isala Klinieken te Zwolle and Afdeling Plastische Chirurgie |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Jun 2020 11:05 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2020 11:05 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2545 |
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