During our Instagram Live chat with Dr. Thomas A. Pane, founder and Chief Medical Officer of Atlantic Coast Aesthetics over the summer, we got a lot of great questions! One of them in particular was interesting because the patient was interested more in the anesthetic used for surgeries than the procedures themselves. User Knickknack asked, “Do you recommend the Exparel shot for arm lifts and breast augmentation/breast lift?”
Exparel, for those who don’t know, is a local, non-opioid, long-duration anesthetic which is administered by injection. It is often used in childbirth, for minor procedures such as hemorrhoid and bunion removal and in situations where a long-lasting anesthetic without a narcotic or opioid component may be preferable for whatever reason. It can also be used as a nerve block after shoulder surgery, for example.
Dr. Pane says with regards to arm lift procedures, patients generally do not experience much pain with the technique he typically uses. Patients may report some tightness and minor discomfort, but not actual, debilitating pain. With breast surgeries including augmentation and lifts, the patient can expect some soreness and tenderness for the first couple of days. However, he notes, “When you’re using it, it’s not that you feel absolutely no pain and when you don’t use it, there’s lots of pain. It’s not that dramatic, so you have to see if it’s worth the extra cost of adding [Exparel] in there, but yes, it is a possibility.”
Dr. Pane says the literature and studies show with regards to patients undergoing breast procedures specifically, they may experience some benefit from it. Like any other form of anesthesia, there are several factors to take into account when deciding the best course of action for pain management, including but not limited to:
- Patient’s age and overall physical condition
- Patient’s medical history
- The size, type, location and extent of the procedure to be done. Certain procedures may require less or more anesthesia and subsequent pain management than others.
- Patient’s reaction to and tolerance for other forms of anesthesia
- Current and previous medication history, including prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements
- Whether the patient has a history of substance abuse and what kind of substance was involved
When you come to Atlantic Coast Aesthetics, Dr. Pane and our clinical staff will evaluate your needs, desired outcomes and medical history, working with you to help you choose the procedure and pain management which best meets your needs and goals while taking your safety and overall health into account. However, patients should be aware that it is very unlikely they will experience no postsurgical pain or discomfort at all, even with the most aggressive pain management strategy. Most patients may notice discomfort fading to mild tightness, or pain fading to discomfort, but it is very rare—and potentially quite dangerous—to experience no pain at all.
More to the point, it’s not uncommon patients who are feeling “fine” to assume they are farther along the healing curve than they actually are, leading them to engage in activities they are not physically ready for. This in turn can cause severe complications, because they don’t realize the damage they are doing to themselves and the surgical site until it’s too late. Only an in-person clinical evaluation and complete medical history workup can truly allow your cosmetic surgeon to help you craft a postsurgical pain management and aftercare protocol which will work with your needs and body.
If you experience any indications of allergic reaction or side effects to any anesthesia or pain medication, you should contact ACA immediately. Go to the nearest emergency department or urgent care center if the symptoms are severe or last longer than several minutes, if possible. Be sure to check your nearest hospital’s policies beforehand just to be on the safe side, as some EDs/ERs are limiting emergency treatment due to COVID-19. As with any other medication or treatment, you should not stop taking any prescriptions you have been given without talking to your surgeon or a member of the surgical staff first. Prescriptions should always be used as directed unless instructed otherwise by your doctor!
If you have a question about anything regarding cosmetic procedures or plastic surgery, Dr. Pane and the staff of Atlantic Coast Aesthetics welcome your questions, queries and posers! Simply click here to contact us; follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn; or call 561-513-4763. Your question might even appear in an upcoming Ask Dr. Pane segment, allowing us to educate and inform others who share your interests while giving you the information you need to be an advocate for your best care and results. Remember, at ACA we believe the only bad question is the one you DON’T ask!