From 2011 to 2015, the number of plastic surgery operations for medical reasons in Belgian university hospitals has increased by nearly 30%, going from 2,934 to 4,093 interventions, says the Minister of Health Maggie De Block in response to a written question by deputy Els Van Hoof (CD&V). Most of the operations (1,452) have to do with the repair of burn injuries, reconstruction of torn muscles (376), breast reconstruction (286) and removal of growths (285).
This type of intervention for medical reasons should continue to increase, according to the deputy, who observes that since July 2016, breast reconstruction with the patient’s own tissue, following cancer or in prevention, has been better reimbursed by INAMI. Some 1,500 women benefit annually from breast reconstruction with their own tissue.
The Brussels Times
