Pain Control and Recovery After Plastic Surgery

[00:00:06.320] Pain control is something that is very important to this practice. [00:00:12.840] Our goal is for the entire process [00:00:18.400] to be easier than what the patient had in mind [00:00:22.240] so that they may say, [00:00:24.240] "Wow, that was a lot easier than I had thought. [00:00:27.400] I wish I had done it a long time ago." [00:00:29.760] Too often we hear of instances where patients "woke up" [00:00:34.720] during their procedure and had nightmares [00:00:38.120] during their procedure or the postoperative pain was terrible. [00:00:44.720] These terms we don't like to hear in this office. [00:00:47.400] We have instituted an enhanced recovery protocol [00:00:51.600] quite some time ago that uses a combination of medications [00:00:55.400] that begin before surgery and are taken through the recovery time [00:01:01.360] to really help with the postoperative pain. [00:01:06.080] In addition to that, we use medications to cover [00:01:10.320] all of the pathways for postoperative nausea and vomiting. [00:01:13.680] We really are focused on helping [00:01:16.240] the recovery from surgery be as good as it can. [00:01:19.800] Another important part of selecting the practice that's right for you [00:01:25.800] should include "What happens if I have a problem?" [00:01:31.200] You should ask, "What happens if I have a problem?" [00:01:34.400] And then identifying what the problems are. [00:01:37.720] We have risks that are identified with every operation. [00:01:41.160] For instance, blood clots in the legs. [00:01:44.080] That's a risk that comes with any anesthetic that the patient undergoes. [00:01:50.400] The ones that the physician and the physician's office [00:01:56.320] have to deal with on a more regular basis [00:01:58.640] might be things such as postoperative infection, [00:02:03.400] such as postoperative bleeding or hematoma at the surgical site. [00:02:08.600] One of the most common postoperative complications [00:02:13.040] that we can use to get to the bottom of [00:02:17.240] what a practice is made of is postoperative hematoma. [00:02:21.360] "What happens if I have bleeding after surgery? [00:02:24.720] Will I be taken care of, and will there be cost for that?" [00:02:28.280] We have a very open financial discussion with our patients [00:02:32.040] before surgery is even contemplated [00:02:34.720] regarding what the costs of surgery would be. [00:02:37.880] And we have a system here such that the cost to the patient [00:02:42.520] includes anesthesia, includes facility, includes the implant, [00:02:46.400] and there are no hidden costs. [00:02:49.560] Having no hidden costs, it should be very important [00:02:53.000] to every consumer. [00:02:54.440] When our patients have problems after surgery, [00:02:59.400] it is incumbent upon us as healthcare providers to see them [00:03:03.800] through those complications. [00:03:05.560] Yes, there may be costs associated, [00:03:07.960] for instance, if you have to buy some gauze material or whatnot to help [00:03:13.120] an area that is a little slow to heal. [00:03:17.280] But we do everything we can to help minimize the costs. [00:03:21.920] We also never abandon the patient, [00:03:25.440] which means if you have a problem and you can get here, [00:03:29.360] we're going to see you and we're going to help you [00:03:31.520] through your problem.