Background and Objectives
Few reports have investigated patient experiences following total en bloc sacrectomy. The aims of this study were to obtain a deeper understanding of patients’ personal experiences, needs, and satisfaction with the treatment to reveal areas in which perioperative and long‐term patient care can be improved.
Methods
A qualitative design was applied to examine patient experiences and supportive care needs. Patients treated between 2007 and 2017 were identified from our institutional database.
Results
A total of 28 survivors were interviewed (13 females, age 13‐75 years). Eight themes were identified: the effect of surgery on patients’ (a) daily lives, (b) social activities, (c) work or school activities, (d) and family lives; (e) acceptance of ostomy surgery; (f) need for guidance regarding long‐term rehabilitation; (g) satisfaction with the medical services provided in the hospital; and (h) satisfaction with the treatment outcomes.
Conclusion
Total en bloc sacrectomy can yield satisfactory oncological outcomes; however, the procedure is a life‐changing event for patients and their families. Physicians must provide long‐term support and guidance after surgery to enable patients to fully understand and cope with the changes in their lives.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.