Development of a test for evaluation of taste perception after tongue reduction

When performing a tongue reduction a frequently asked question is how operation will influence taste of the patient. Different kinds of taste tests are designed, most of these being non-specific ways to determine taste sensation in which high concentration of taste solutions are used to detect if a person is able to taste. To be able to judge the influence of tongue reduction on taste we wanted to develop a validated test that could be used in early childhood. No specific tasting areas were found. This test can be used to evaluate tongue reduction procedure

Evaluating the Psychopathological Profile of Women Undergoing Reduction Mammaplasty With the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised

Background: Patients who desire reduction mammaplasty (RM) also may seek relief from social and emotional challenges that accompany their physical condition, including low self-confidence and impaired body image. Reduction mammaplasty is known to improve patients' physical and psychological well-being. It may be speculated that patients who undergo RM are motivated by psychological problems and have psychopathologies. Health care insurers reluctant to cover the expense of this surgery may cite mental health as a reason to deny coverage. Objectives: The authors assessed the psychopathological profile of patients who presented for RM, utilizing a validated instrument, and compared scores with standard norm values. Methods: Preoperatively, 67 women were assessed with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), a validated instrument for evaluating a broad range of psychopathological problems and symptoms. The SCL-90-R provides a general psychoneurosis score, as well as scores for 8 symptom subscales. Results: The mean patient age was 36 +/- 11.2 years. The mean (SD) total score on the SCL-90-R was 130 (38.7), which was not significantly higher than the norm score of 123. Only the subscores for somatization and sleep disturbance were significantly higher than the norm scores for these subscales. Compared with the norm score for women who presented with chronic pain, the total score for our study population was significantly lower. Conclusions: Patients who undergo RM have normal scores for psychoneurosis according to the SCL-90-R. Health care insurance coverage for RM should not be denied on the basis that the motivation for surgery relates to psychopathology. Additionally, psychological testing is not recommended for most patients who desire breast reduction surgery; rather, clinical judgment based on common sense should be applie