Anticipation
May 18th, 2009
As surgery draws closer, patients feel a sense of nervous anticipation. For many, the unknown of having cosmetic surgery, makes the days spent waiting quite nerve-racking. I believe it is the fear of pain and possible complications that often weighs heavily on a patient’s mind. Melissa’s anticipation of the positive change in her figure with breast augmentation surgery is a good example of keeping the proper focus. I appreciate her careful attention to the information she has received about her role in all of this.
Over my years of practicing medicine, I have adopted certain philosophies in my office, which include implementing surgical strategies to reduce pain after surgery and thoroughly discussing the procedure with the patient. This stems from my own experience as a child, when I had my tonsils and adenoids removed at 5 years old. To this day I remember the smell of ether (not found in hospitals today) as I was going to sleep. After the surgery I was sick to my stomach, which was typical for this drug at the time. Finally, the pain in my throat was very memorable. The ice cream and Popsicles were of little consolation, as I simply could not eat them. It was too painful! We have given careful consideration to pain control, both during and after surgery in an effort to reduce our patients’ experience with pain after surgery.
There are many things we do to reduce pain after surgery. It starts even before surgery. We pre-medicate the patient in our office just before surgery. This has reduced the need for strong narcotic pain medications by fifty percent. During surgery, care is taken to eliminate all bleeding. Blood collection can cause a significant elevation in pain. Other pain mitigation techniques include a large amount of local anesthetic that is injected to numb the nerves going to the breast, just before I insert the implant. Finally, I have eliminated the use of all dressings after surgery. In my opinion, dressing serve no real purpose and often contribute to increasing pain after surgery. Over half of the patients undergoing breast enlargement surgery in my office take only mild pain medication and acetaminophen after surgery. Women who have delivered a child say they experience a fullness or heaviness during recovery, similar to feeling as if their milk has come in.
So my advice before surgery is to try to relax the best you can. Focus on the preparation outline we have given you. If necessary, call my office to have any last minute questions answered. In most cases, patient concerns are easily addressed. Only on a rare occasion, do I prescribe a sedative or sleeping pill for overly anxious patients. Your personal strength and desire to improve your physical image will get you through this!
Never Too Old
May 14th, 2009
When my mother first approached me to have facial cosmetic surgery, I thought she was a bit off. I could not imagine a 73 year old from such a simple past wanting rejuvenation surgery. Yet she was at a critical point in her life. She had completed grieving after my father’s passing and was ready to become socially involved again. In fact, an intriguing man (her future boyfriend) had moved into the home next door to her.
There are some limitations regarding age. As we age, medical conditions seem to plague us. These medical conditions can can increase the risks of surgery. As a result of conditions due to aging, the surgery may be compromised and the medical condition is at a risk of being made worse. Fortunately for my mother, her heart problem was not serious and was well controlled with medication. Elective cosmetic surgery should not be considered when medical illnesses cannot be well controlled or they make it unsafe to have surgery.
Patients come from a variety of social, economic and cultural backgrounds. There is no typical patient. People seek out cosmetic surgery when something about their physical appearance bothers them. Interestingly, the diversity of physical conditions is surprising and particular sensitivities bother some people but not others. Physical sensitivities result form age, pregnancy, injury, surgery and medical conditions. There is no right or wrong when it comes to patient concerns.
Helping my mother acheive her rejuvenation goals in a safe manner, has taught me a lot. From my first steps, to life along the way, my mother has a provided valuable insight from her unique and seasoned perspective. Fortunately, I was eventually open to listen and learn.
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