What is a pain pump?

A pain pump is a simple device that is used to deliver pain medication to a surgical site. The medication is delivered through a very narrow tube that the surgeon has placed in the area during surgery. The tube or catheter, exits from the site and is attached to the pump portion of the device that is external.

The pain medicine reservoir portion of the pump is filled with a numbing medicine. The pump slowly delivers the medicine into the catheter to the site for the first few days post-op.

The pain pump can be set to automatically deliver the numbing medication or it can be controlled by the patient. This gives a slow, very consistent delivery of medication straight to the surgical site. This is an advantage of this type of pain management because it works only on the surgical site and has no effects on other parts of the body. Some people are sensitive to pain medication and suffer from intestinal distress or drowsiness from pain medication.

Narcotic pain medications that are taken orally have the disadvantage of needing time for pain relief to take effect. Recovery without the global effect of nausea, constipation or sleepiness can be more pleasant and less traumatic.
Surgeons often use pain pumps for patients who are very motivated to get back to work quickly or only have a limited time window for recovery. The use of the pump ensures these patients that they won't have much pain and will be as comfortable as possible during recovery. Many people work from home or are self-employed and can manage to work for a few hours a day the day after surgery with a pain pump.
Prior to the invention of pain pumps, patients would require IV pain medicine or oral pain pills every 4 to 6 hours. A patient with a pain pump will require fewer narcotic pain pills for a much shorter duration.
The removal of the pain pump is very simple and depending on the pump and the type of surgery you have had, some patients can remove it themselves. You surgeon may tell you that they will remove it for you in the office at a post-op visit. This is a very quick, painless procedure to remove the device.
Plastic surgeons use a pain pump for different types of breast surgery, tummy tucks and other operations where a surgical pocket is created. Your plastic surgeon can explain how pain pumps can help your recovery from surgery.

Does Your Obstetrician offer Breast Augmentation?

Men and women looking for information on plastic surgery should read a recent article written by Dr. Patti Flint. This Scottsdale plastic surgeon explains physician accreditation with the American Board of Medical Specialties and how not all plastic surgeons are created equal. While it can be confusing for patients, it is important to learn about your physician’s training and experience. Potential patients seeking qualified doctors for their elective cosmetic surgery should be sure to research their options and keep a few key points in mind.

Dr. Flint reminds readers that state medical licensure does not limit a physician to practicing a particular specialty. For example, just because an obstetrician completed medical school with honors, it does not mean he or she is going to be very good at breast augmentation. If you are interested in getting the best results from a particular cosmetic surgery, ensure that the doctor performing the surgery is accredited in that field and has several years of experience. Both of those criteria will go a long way to ensuring you are happy with the post-operative recovery right after the surgery and maintenance of results for years to come.

Alternatively, selecting a physician that is licensed in a non-surgical field or doesn’t have extensive experience in the procedure you are interested in, may result in dangerous side effects, poor wound healing, or even irregular or asymmetrical results. For patients in Scottsdale, plastic surgery a little research and learning goes a long way. Invest your time before you invest your money.

Breast Augmentation Surgery: Getting Started

Today you can change any part of yourself that you don't like from your feet to your face. The most popular plastic surgery today is female breast augmentation. Most women want this surgery so that they can look and feel more feminine.

Some women are just naturally small breasted. Some have gone through childbirth and nursing has left their breasts deflated. Other women have mismatched breasts (one noticeably larger than the other). Whatever the reason breast augmentation surgery can give women the look and self confidence they desire.

The first step in breast augmentation surgery is selecting your doctor. The most important thing is board certification. Make sure the doctor you selected is board certified in plastic surgery, not some other medical specialty. Ask others who've had surgery who they've used and if they're happy with the result.

The next step involves consultation with the doctors you've chosen. You want to meet several surgeons to be sure that there is someone that you feel comfortable enough with to entrust with your surgery. Communication is very important in a doctor/patient relationship and you need to feel that the surgeon understands your wishes and can allow you to at ease with the process. Often part of the consultation process involves "trying on" your new breast implants. This can achieved with a special bra or through a computer simulation. Both methods allow you to try different size implants and with photography you can compare your before/after photos along with comparing different sizes. Patient often describe this as the most exciting part of the process.

Once you've selected your surgeon, the office will schedule your surgery. You should be prepared to take 1-2 weeks to recuperate after your breast augmentation. Recovery is different for everyone but generally if you have a non-physical job you can return 7-10 days after surgery. The decision to have plastic surgery is very personal. But once your doctor has given the okay to resume your normal activities, you can enjoy your curvier figure and shop for new clothes with more confidence and pride.

You’re Invited to the October Girl’s Night Out

The Swan Center for Plastic Surgery is once again hosting a Girl’s Night Out event. The latest event is scheduled for Thursday, October 21 from 6 to 9. This year’s theme is “Unmask Your Beauty.” The Atlanta plastic surgeons will be on hand to answer your questions about our services and help you choose the services you need to look and feel your best.

The list of sponsors for the event includes prestigious names like Livi Rae Lingerie, Diamond Limousines, Jezebel, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Macy’s, and Vino 100. Drop by the event to sample their services and products, receive a mini-facial or massage, and have a make up consultation to teach you how to match colors and designs to your face shape and tone.

If you are planning to attend the Girl’s Night Out, come early. We are handing out gift bags that you will not want to miss out on, but supplies are limited. While at the party, enter a drawing to win prizes from our sponsors, and attend surgeon question and answer sessions to learn all you want to about our plastic surgery options.

For our current and former patients, feel free to come out and enjoy the free cocktails, live entertainment, and festive party atmosphere. Bring a friend to help them learn about our Atlanta plastic surgeons and tour the Center. Prospective patients and other members of the community are also invited to participate in the entertainment and learn more about the ways we can help them achieve their full aesthetic potential. If you will be attending, be sure to register at http://www.swancenteratlanta.com/registration-form/. While the party is completely free, we do have limited space, so you must register in order to attend.

Get the Information You Need on Your Doctor's Website

New No matter what procedure you choose to have done, you will likely have several choices. Nearly every type of plastic surgery allows the patient to make their own decisions on some details, with input from the doctor, of course. You will want to be educated before making a commitment to any particular choice.

For a breast augmentation, New Jersey patients may need to find out the types of implant available, the size they want, the location of the incision, and whether it will be placed under or over the muscle. For liposuction, you can choose to have the dry, wet, or tumescent type, to name a few. At your initial consultation, your doctor will counsel you on what they think is the best type for you, and you may find that some doctors only perform one kind of the surgery you are considering. However, it is best to come prepared by having an idea of the choice you prefer.

You can research on your own to find out what your options are. However, not every doctor offers every type of procedure, or every option available to others. Therefore, one of the best places to look for information is your surgeon's website. Many reputable doctors offer information on their website about each procedure, including the options they provide. To ensure that you do not spend time considering a procedure that your chosen surgeon does not even offer, check their website before going to the initial consultation. If there is little information provided, you can ask questions when you meet with the doctor.

Former Miss Argentina Dies From Plastic Surgery Complications

In the last few years, the risks associated with routine plastic surgery have been brought into the spotlight by several high-profile deaths. Former Miss Argentina Solange Magnano is the most recent celebrity to succumb to the operating table. While undergoing a gluteoplasty (a butt lift), Magnano suffered complications and subsequently died of a pulmonary embolism. She was young, fit, and the mother of twin seven year-old boys.

There's never a good explanation for why these things happen, except to say that there are no guarantees in life, and there definitely aren't any guarantees on the operating table. No matter how popular plastic surgery has become, or will become in the future, the risks will always be there. As with any major surgery, all it takes is a slip of the scalpel, or a freak accident, to end an otherwise healthy person's life. This fact should not be taken lightly, but at the same time we have to remember that the death rate of plastic surgery candidates is extremely small in the scheme of things. For the most part, these are healthy, attractive people making the choice to go under the knife in hopes of coming out looking better than ever. Life is full of gambles, and getting plastic surgery is definitely one of them. Luckily, the odds are in your favor that everything will go smoothly and as expected.

The main reason that deaths such as that of Solange Magnano get so much media and public attention is that they involve celebrities. Of course it's going to be front page news when the former Miss Argentina, a beautiful and healthy young woman, dies unexpectedly. There has been virtually a media firestorm over it, as you can see from publications like Time and The Huffington Post. Stories like this will always make headlines because they're jarring and sensationalized to the point that people become afraid of something as common as plastic surgery.

What happened to Magnano is without a doubt tragic, but sometimes life is tragic. And everything we do, every step we make in life carries some kind of risk. Solange Magnano was living her life the way she wanted to, and unfortunately she suffered the unlikely worst case scenario as a result of it. The best thing you can do when faced with this kind of frightfest is get educated. Learn the facts about plastic surgery, and the potential risks, for yourself. Then you can make an informed decision that's right for you, rather than being scared into inaction by a media feeding frenzy.

Reclaim Your Body with Atlanta Breast Reconstruction

In a recent press release from The Swan Center for Plastic Surgery, Dr. Joseph G. Bauer, discusses the different Atlanta breast reconstruction procedure options.

In the release, Dr. Bauer discusses the profound effect asymmetry, congenital defects or other injuries to the breast can have on a woman and how important it is that she know her options for reconstruction.

Options for Atlanta breast reconstruction at the Swan Center are:

• Spacers- This is a temporary insert that helps stretch the skin and keep the cavity open for later reconstructive methods.


• Implants- Implants can be placed as a permanent solution to spacers. Saline and silicone are options for implants.


• Flaps- DIEP flap and TRAM flap methods are advanced techniques relocating abdominal tissue.

When looking for a plastic surgeon, Atlanta residents like yourself should visit The Swan Center at www.swancenteratlanta.com or call (770) 667-0904 for a consultation with Dr. Bauer.