New Study Shows Pain Pumps Decrease Pain and Narcotic Use for Breast Augmentation Patients

    PEARLAND, TX, January 06, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A new study shows that when equipped with an elastomeric pain pump, patients experience less postoperative discomfort and use less oral narcotics. The study looked at the charts of 690 patients who underwent breast augmentation, comparing postoperative discomfort and narcotic use. The study showed that patients who received a pain pump experienced significantly less discomfort and used significantly fewer oral narcotics.

The average pain level reported by breast augmentation patients with a pain pump was 2.27, compared to 3.68 for patients without a pain pump. Patients also took fewer pills with the pain pump than without. On average, patients took 26.5 mg hydrocodone with the pump as compared to 49 mg without the pump within the first 72 hours after surgery. The study also found similar results for pain pump use after abdominoplasty. Patients' reported pain after abdominoplasty was 2.81 with pain pumps, compared to 4.32 without. Hydrocodone use decreased from 56.5 mg to 29.5 mg in the first 72 hours after an abdominoplasty.

Dr. Leo Lapuerta of the Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas says, "In our practice we have long had very good results using the pain pump for patient comfort. We do everything we can to give our patients the safest, most comfortable breast augmentation surgery possible. Both the pain pump and intravenous anesthesia are very good options for controlling patient discomfort while reducing side effects like nausea and vomiting.

"Patients who are considering breast augmentation should find out whether any surgeon they are considering offers pain pumps."

Pain pumps, also called infusion pumps, are designed to deliver a steady, continuous dose of local anesthesia to the surgical site. Lidocaine is the most commonly-used local anesthesia, and it was the anesthesia used in the study.

About Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas

The Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas is the private practice of triple-board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Leo Lapuerta. It offers a wide variety of plastic surgery procedures such as breast enhancement, body contouring, and facial plastic surgery. It serves patients in the Houston area at three locations: 1919 LaBranch, 11800 Astoria Boulevard, and 2360 County Road 94 in Pearland. Dr. Lapuerta is board certified in general surgery, plastic surgery, and surgery of the hand. He has hospital privileges at four area hospitals. Dr. Lapuerta is also the director of the Clinical Skin Care Center. http://www.lookyounger.net/

# # #