Friday, May 10, 2013

WHAT'S THE NEWEST FOR "TUMMY TUCKS" (ABDOMINOPLASTY)


While attending the Scientific Meeting of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Society in New York City April 2013, a revolutionary concept of pain management for "Tummy Tuck" surgery was presented.

One of the major concerns of any woman considering a "Tummy Tuck" (Abdominoplasty) is the pain associated with this procedure.  During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles separate to allow for the enlargement of the uterus and growth of the baby.  After pregnancy, this separation results in a bulging appearance of the abdomen.  During the "Tummy Tuck" procedure, this muscle separation is repaired by suturing the muscles back together.  Suture repair of the abdominal muscles is the reason why "Tummy Tucks" are painful.

At the Aesthetic Surgery Center, a pain pump has been placed for all patient's having "Tummy Tuck".  Two small plastic type tubes with perforations like a "soaker hose" are attached to a small ball-like pump.  These "soaker hose" tubes are placed beneath the sutured abdominal muscles.  The pump then delivers a long acting local anesthetic (bupivacaine) to the muscles through the "soaker hose" tubing beneath the muscles.  The pain pump delivers a constant infusion of a numbing local anesthetic (non opioid drug) to the muscles for about three days.  This pain pump has significantly reduced the pain associated with this procedure.

Instead of using catheters and a pump to deliver this local anesthetic Pacira Pharmaceuticals has developed EXPAREL that is bupivacaine in a liposomal injectable suspension.  What is that??? The technology is unique , high tech, and complex.  Pacira's drug delivery technology called DepoFoam uses microscopic lipid (type of fat) spheres called liposomes to encapsulate drugs, and then release them over a desired period of time.  EXPAREL that is FDA approved is injected at the time of surgery into the abdominal muscles that are sutured.  The local anesthetic is released directly into the muscles over the ensuing next several post operative days.  Forget about the "soaker tubes" and carrying around a pump after surgery.

Look forward to seeing this exciting NEW technology used in many other areas as well.