Each surgery has a different recovery period; some can be a matter of hours, while some may take weeks. People tend to think that what they do during the time after surgery will dictate how quickly they recover, whether they rest appropriately, and follow all the directions. While in part this is true, what you do even before setting foot in the operating room can make a massive difference in how well and how quickly you get back on your feet. At PRMA, we know that breast reconstruction surgery recovery does not have to be a long and painful process.
At PRMA, we have developed a protocol that allows our patients to experience less pain during recovery as well as to recover faster from surgery. We call it PRMA’s Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol, or ERAS for short.
The Protocol
This protocol consists of different things and begins the morning before the surgery is set to take place, ensuring pain control even before the procedure starts. While performing surgery, we will administer a “block,” or a long-acting local anesthetic to any area affected during the surgery. This way, any feeling of pain will be addressed and minimized before the patient’s waking. By managing pain in this fashion, the way our patients feel and recover from surgery has dramatically improved.
PRMA’s Enhance Recovery is so effective that with extra-strength Tylenol, Celebrex, and a low dose Gabapentin our patients are usually able to control any discomfort from the procedure after leaving the hospital. In the rare circumstance that narcotics are needed for pain control, they are only used the first few days after the operation. Our ERAS protocol works so well that many patients do not end up using any narcotics at all.
Our Secret Weapon
At PRMA, we use a specialty formulated carb drink that is given to patients before the operation. This special drink will help your body process anesthesia, thereby decreasing nausea, helping your bowel function return faster, and overall helping with the healing process. Patients recover their appetite in record time, and by not requiring narcotics, they lower their chance of becoming constipated, allowing them to go home earlier.
For example, patients recovering from a DIEP Flap surgery now experience on average a two-day stay after their procedure is finished. Prior to our ERAS protocol, patients stayed in the hospital for up to 5 days after surgery.
Why would you risk a more extended stay in a hospital, more pain, and extensive recovery periods when you can be out of the hospital in no time? At PRMA Plastic Surgery, we offer the best and most technically skilled surgeons in the field and the most innovative procedures. We also provide a faster recovery with less pain as well. Our two and a half decades of experience and our impeccable trajectory will give you peace of mind going into the operating room; the results coming out will make you glad you chose PRMA!
Call Us Now And Schedule A Consultation
To schedule a consultation please call us at 800-692-5565 or complete our free virtual consultation form HERE.
It is a great honor to be part of a team with such a rich tradition of excellent patient care, shares Dr. Andrew Gassman, the newest surgeon to join the PRMA team. Years and years of procedure fine tuning with individualized care means our patients truly benefit from both efficiency and experience.
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