Marin Plastic Surgeons Offer Discounted Breast Augmentation to Study Participants

    GREENBRAE, CA, August 17, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Plastic Surgery Specialists, a full-service plastic surgery practice in Marin County, is looking for participants for an upcoming research study to evaluate the efficacy of a topical, FDA-approved pain reliever called EXPAREL . Qualifying participants will receive $2,000 off the price of the procedure.

EXPAREL was developed to improve the recuperation process after certain surgeries by reducing the need for opiate pain medications. Surgeons apply EXPAREL to the surgical site during an operation. Over the next 72 hours, EXPAREL's time-released formula slowly administers site-specific pain relief, eliminating the physical and mental side effects of opiates.

"EXPAREL is a great option for patients who don't want to use narcotic medications, whether due to personal preference, a medical condition, or a history of addiction," Dr. Stanley G. Poulos says. "Once the 72 hours have elapsed, many patients feel comfortable enough to transition directly to over-the-counter medicines, completely eliminating the need for prescriptions."

The Marin County-based breast augmentation study will evaluate how breast augmentation patients respond to EXPAREL. Individual eligibility for the study will be determined by either Dr. Poulos or Yngvar A. Hvistendahl, the 2 board-certified plastic surgeons of Plastic Surgery Specialists. Selected patients will undergo breast augmentation surgery. During the surgery, the surgeon will add EXPAREL to the implant pocket. In one breast, EXPAREL will be injected directly into the muscle. In the other breast, the surgeon will wash the pocket with EXPAREL. The patient will not know which breast was treated with an injection and which was treated with a wash. After surgery, patients will be asked to assess their comfort on a brief questionnaire.

"Participants' answers will help us determine how to use EXPAREL in future procedures," Dr. Hvistendahl says. "It's important for prospective patients to know that our study doesn't relate to the safety of EXPAREL, and the use of EXPAREL does not affect surgical results," he says. "EXPAREL is FDA approved, and its safety is well documented. We're simply interested in determining how to administer EXPAREL to ensure the highest level of comfort for our patients."

The first 50 eligible candidates who schedule their breast augmentations with Plastic Surgery Specialists will receive $2,000 off their procedures.

"Offering a discount to study participants is the best way we know to say thanks," Dr. Poulos says. "We think the benefits of this study will be far-reaching -- women will be able to pursue the bodies they want at a lower cost, and future patients will benefit from a more comfortable procedure."

Plastic Surgery Specialists (www.psspecialists.com) is a full-service plastic surgery clinic based in Greenbrae, California. At Plastic Surgery Specialists, board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. Stanley G. Poulos and Dr. Yngvar A. Hvistendahl often work together to develop new techniques for breast, body, and face procedures, including comprehensive surgeries such as Mommy Makeover. Together with their staff, Dr. Poulos and Dr. Hvistendahl use their nearly 20 years of combined experience to serve both plastic surgery and medical spa patients with proven, up-to-date services and techniques for attractive, safe, and natural-looking results.

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