A Collaborative Approach to Enhancing Recovery with Non-Opioids

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According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), plastic and cosmetic surgeries are on the rise. Year over year, there is a 5% increase in surgeries, with 1,575,244 cosmetic procedures occurring in 2023 alone. These procedures can include breast reconstructions, abdominoplasties or tummy tucks, rhytidectomies or facelifts, and much more. Breast augmentations are among the most frequently performed cosmetic surgeries, with over 304,000 procedures performed in 2023.

A recent study found that plastic surgeries have the highest prevalence of postsurgical pain, ranking amongst neurosurgery, orthopedics, and general surgery. Findings showed that the most painful plastic procedures are breast surgery, abdominoplasty, and extensive liposuction. With the rise in cosmetic and plastic surgeries, the need for effective pain management becomes even more necessary. While opioids have been considered the traditional treatment for postsurgical pain, oftentimes they are followed by a slew of side effects – including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and dependence – which can have a direct impact on the recovery process. These symptoms can make it difficult for patients to be mobile or go home after surgery. Additionally, given that there were over1,500 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2023 in Cook County, IL alone, there is an evident need for innovations in pain management solutions, including non-opioid options.

Utilizing Non-Opioid Options for Pain Management

At Pryor Health in Northfield, IL, Dr. Eric Anderson – an American Board of Surgery-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast augmentation, facelifts, brow lifts, tummy tucks, and mommy makeovers – and Dr. Mohammed Asif – an American Board of Surgery-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic care, including mommy makeovers, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, liposuction, and body contouring – have made it their mission to work together to provide their surgical patients with non-opioid pain management options.

One option Dr. Anderson and Dr. Asif have implemented into their practice is EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension), a long-acting numbing medication that is injected directly into the surgical site to provide pain relief. EXPAREL helps to manage patients’ pain after plastic and cosmetic surgeries by slowly releasing medication for the first few days after surgery, when pain is normally the worst. By utilizing EXPAREL, Dr. Anderson and Dr. Asif can provide their patients with targeted, extended relief from pain supporting their focus on recovery.

Enhancing Patient Recovery After Surgery

Dr. Anderson has been using EXPAREL for the last two years, mainly on his patients receiving breast augmentation surgeries. He shared that unlike the typical local anesthetic used in most surgeries which only lasts for a few hours, EXPAREL is able to provide patients with pain relief for up to three days after surgery. “EXPAREL helps make my patients’ recovery easier because they are in less pain and able to be more mobile after surgery. Increasing mobility is extremely important because getting up and moving right after a procedure helps with the recovery process, which allows patients to return to the activities of daily living faster,” said Dr. Anderson. “EXPAREL enhances my patients’ overall surgical experience by keeping their pain well-managed and jumpstarting their recovery.”

Since 2017, Dr. Asif has been using EXPAREL for the majority of his reconstruction surgeries – typically breast reconstructions, abdominoplasties or abdominal wall reconstructions, and flap reconstructions. Dr. Asif doesn’t like prescribing opioids to his patients, so being able to provide pain relief for the first few days after surgery with EXPAREL is a game-changer. “While I proactively share information regarding non-opioid options for pain relief, I have many patients during surgical consultations who ask about their options because they are worried about the side effects of opioids. A few patients have even specifically requested EXPAREL after doing their own research on pain management options,” said Dr. Asif. “Providing non-opioid options for pain relief helps to ease my patients’ concerns about their recovery.”

Empowering Patients to Advocate for Themselves

Creating a personalized and effective pain management plan should be the goal of every healthcare provider, and patients should feel empowered to discuss their pain relief options. Advocating for their patients’ pain management options and listening to patient needs sets apart the providers at Pryor Health. Dr. Anderson and Dr. Asif encourage all patients and caregivers to have a conversation before surgery to find out what their options are to improve the recovery experience. Both surgeons strive to enhance their patient’s recovery process with every surgery, and it all starts with non-opioids, such as EXPAREL.

For more information, please visit www.EXPAREL.com/patient.

This article is sponsored by Pacira BioSciences, Inc.

*Dr. Anderson and Dr. Asif are consultants for Pacira BioSciences, Inc. This is based on Dr. Anderson and Dr. Asif’s experiences. Individual patient experiences may vary.

Indication
EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) is indicated to produce postsurgical local analgesia via infiltration in patients aged 6 years and older and regional analgesia in adults via an interscalene brachial plexus nerve block, sciatic nerve block in the popliteal fossa, and an adductor canal block. Safety and efficacy have not been established in other nerve blocks.

Important Safety Information
EXPAREL should not be used in obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia.

In studies in adults where EXPAREL was injected into a wound, the most common side effects were nausea, constipation, and vomiting.

In studies in adults where EXPAREL was injected near a nerve, the most common side effects were nausea, fever, headache, and constipation.

In the study where EXPAREL was given to children, the most common side effects were nausea, vomiting, constipation, low blood pressure, low number of red blood cells, muscle twitching, blurred vision, itching, and rapid heartbeat.

EXPAREL can cause a temporary loss of feeling and/or loss of muscle movement. How much and how long the loss of feeling and/or muscle movement depends on where and how much of EXPAREL was injected and may last for up to 5 days.

EXPAREL is not recommended to be used in patients younger than 6 years old for injection into the wound, for patients younger than 18 years old for injection near a nerve, and/or in pregnant women.

Tell your health care provider if you or your child has liver disease, since this may affect how the active ingredient (bupivacaine) in EXPAREL is eliminated from the body.

EXPAREL should not be injected into the spine, joints, or veins.

The active ingredient in EXPAREL can affect the nervous system and the cardiovascular system; may cause an allergic reaction; may cause damage if injected into the joints; and can cause a rare blood disorder.

Full Prescribing Information is available at www.EXPAREL.com/patient.

For more information, please visit www.EXPAREL.com/patient or call 1-855-793-9727.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

PP-EX-US-9564 8/24

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