Table 4 Detailed analysis of the BREAST-Q domain “psycho-social environment, sexuality and physical restrictions” of patients undergoing heterologous breast reconstruction alone or in combination with mesh.

	BR with implant alone (n = 27)			BR using mesh (n = 34)
BREAST-Q domain	n	Mean score	SD	n	Mean score	SD	p-value
BR: breast reconstruction; n = number completed; SD: standard deviation § Mann-Whitney U test was used for not normally distributed data X t-test was used for normally distributeddata
Domain-specific questions
Psychosocial environment (answers from 1 to 5 points)
Confident in a social setting?	27	4.41	0.694	34	4.06	0.983	0.199§
Emotionally able to do things that you want to do?	27	4.30	0.775	34	4.06	1.013	0.462§
Emotionally healthy?	27	4.19	0.879	34	4.03	1.058	0.704§
Of equal worth to other women?	27	4.15	1.099	34	3.94	1.205	0.490§
Self-confident?	27	4.44	0.641	34	4.06	0.983	0.155§
Feminine in your clothes?	27	4.44	0.641	34	4.32	0.843	0.760§
Accepting of your body?	27	4.00	0.920	34	3.91	1.083	0.890§
Normal?	27	4.22	0.641	34	3.79	1.225	0.300§
Like other women?	26	4.08	0.796	34	3.68	1.296	0.419§
Attractive?	26	3.88	0.864	34	3.62	1.129	0.395§
Sexuality (answers from 1 to 5 points and n. a.)
Sexually attractive in your clothes?	19	3.95	0.848	28	3.68	1.156	0.537§
Comfortable/at ease during sexual activity?	19	3.26	1.240	28	3.14	1.353	0.755X
Confident sexually?	19	3.26	1.195	28	3.14	1.407	0.754X
Satisfied with your sex life?	19	3.53	1.219	28	3.15	1.167	0.233§
Confident sexually about how your breast looks when unclosed?	19	2.89	1.197	28	2.86	1.297	0.876§
Sexually attractive when unclosed?	19	2.68	1.108	28	2.79	1.287	0.806§
Physical restrictions (answers from 1 to 5 points)
Neck pain?	27	2.41	1.248	33	2.82	1.103	0.163§
Upper back pain?	27	2.59	1.448	33	2.64	1.025	0.760§
Shoulder pain?	27	2.56	1.311	33	2.67	1.242	0.334X
Arm pain?	27	2.67	1.301	33	2.33	1.021	0.325§
Rib pain?	27	1.89	1.086	33	1.55	0.711	0.341§
Pain in the muscle of your chest?	27	2.52	1.221	33	2.52	1.093	0.969§
Difficulty lifting or moving your arms?	27	2.52	1.369	33	2.18	1.261	0.342§
Difficulty sleeping because of discomfort in your breast area?	26	2.23	0.992	33	1.94	1.088	0.234§
Tightness in your breast area?	26	1.96	1.183	33	1.79	0.960	0.697§
Pulling in your breast area?	26	2.50	0.860	32	2.59	1.043	0.699§
Nagging feeling in your breast area?	27	2.56	1.188	33	2.48	1.121	0.945§
Tenderness in your breast area?	27	2.52	1.369	33	2.61	1.223	0.788§
Sharp pain in your breast area?	27	1.74	0.903	33	1.55	0.794	0.396§
Shooting pain in your breast area?	27	1.96	0.980	33	1.67	0.692	0.289§
Aching feeling in your breast area?	26	1.92	1.017	33	1.67	0.777	0.413§
Throbbing feeling in your breast area?	27	1.44	0.698	33	1.24	0.502	0.249§