With AI everywhere, I thought this was an interesting article in the October 2023 Aesthetic Surgery Journal. What they did was ask ChatGPT a bunch of questions patients frequently ask about breast augmentation. They looked at the answers provided. They then had a panel of plastic surgeons review the answers and in addition a literature search of 2 large medical databases were done for accuracy, informativeness, and accessibility.
“Evaluating Chatbot Efficacy for Answering Frequently Asked Questions in Plastic Surgery: A ChatGPT case Study Focused on Breast Augmentation.”
Study:
- Common questions were asked.
- ChatGPT-4 was used. This has a probabilistic algorithm and uses random sampling to generate varied responses, which can result with different answers to the same question. For this, they used the first response.
- Questions asked?
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- What size and shape should I choose for my breast augmentation? Chat response listed 6 determinants influence implant selection: aesthetics, body proportions, implant dimensions, implant profile and lifestyle considerations.
- How long do breast implants last? Chat outlined 3 factors, including implant type, complications, and personal preferences.
- Will I lose sensation in my breasts or nipples? Chat correctly addressed talking about the risk of temporary to permanent sensation loss
- Can I breastfeed after my Breast Augmentation? Chat delivered a coherent accurate response. They focused on 4 elements, including surgery technique, implant placement, preexisting ability to breastfeed, and intraoperative nerve or duct damage.
- How visible will my scars be? Chat discussed primary incisions and approaches of 4 different incisions.
- How much will my breast augmentation cost? Chat presents a wide range of cost from $4K to $10K, varying with surgeon fee, anesthetic fee, OR, implant type and additional costs.
- What are the Risks and Possible Complications? Chat gave a good review of 8 prevalent complications.
- Risk of ALCL? Chat accurately presented the incidence, which is 1 /4,000 to 1/30,000.
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Conclusion?
They thought the answers were grammatically correct and had a lot of good information. They like that it tends not to use “medical jargon” so may be easier for patients to understand. It may allow patients to get more in depth information if they feel they didn’t get enough at their visit.
Issues with it?
It lacks personalization. There are individual patient factors which need to be considered, and it tended to give superficial answers. It had inconsistent appropriate and up to date responses, which raises concerns of reliability. It doesn’t necessarily prioritize evidence based answers and reputable sources. Due to its random sampling, it is hard to know how often it is “right” And it would be great to add visual aids to ChatGPT.
My thoughts?
It is the future and will for sure be used by patients. I hope my website has so much information that my patients don’t need to go elsewhere 🙂 but I am sure they still will. Nothing beats meeting face to face with a plastic surgeon. There are nuances to all surgeries, risks, differences in skin quality, expectations. I walk my patients through the options with the pros and cons of each, the nuances of each. I do an exam, measurements, Vectra 3D imaging, and have you try on sizers. Nothing beats face to face meetings. But as AI improves, more education is always good, as long as it is accurate.