Pain Pumps for Pain Control After a Tummy Tuck?

Pain pumps are now very commonly used after tummy tucks.

They deliver a controlled, foolproof amount of local anesthetic (numbing medicine) directly into the area of fascial tightening.  There are no buttons to press.  The medicine is delivered over a period of three days, after which time most patients start to wean off their pain medication.  

Good pain control is not only good for patient comfort; it also prevents splinting and collapse of segments of the lung after surgery, and enables the patient to walk better.  Win-win.

"Pain pumps" such as the On-Q system have been in use for several years with tummy tucks and are very helpful. They infuse a numbing solution into the surgical area through tiny catheters over about 3 days. A newer alternative is Exparel, a slow-release numbing agent that does not require the catheter or reservoir bulb.

Pain pumps are used by many surgeons and work well. There are many ways for a surgeon to help reduce post operative pain for their patients. Exparel is a new medication you can ask your surgeon about as well.

Some surgeons use pain pumps with tummy tuck to reduce pain after surgery but there are alternative ways to get good anesthesia during the early postoperative period, and attention to surgical technique can also reduce postoperative pain.  The pain pump is  somewhat cumbersome, requires removal, and adds some expense.  In general I do not think it is necessary, but each surgeon has their own method, and I would discuss the issue with your surgeon.

We have used the On-Q pain pumps for nearly a decade on tummy tuck surgeries with excellent pain control. Recently, we have begun using Exparel- a long acting numbing medicine with good results as well.

        I have used these before, but they held more promise than results.  I think that there are a lot of technical details with regard to plication and manner of dissection that produce less pain.  Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of tummy tuck procedures each year.  Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Thank you for the question. Good pain control after tummy tuck is very important for many reasons. Besides the important concern of patient comfort, good pain control allows for better/easier deep breathing exercises and ambulation. These measures may lead to decreased incidences of pulmonary complications and/or thromboembolic phenomenon.These days plastic surgeons have many options when it comes to pain control after tummy tuck surgery. The use of narcotic medication, muscle relaxants, non-narcotics, pain control pumps, and long-lasting local anesthetics have made the postoperative experience much better than in the past. The specific medications used will vary from one practice to another.In our practice, all patients undergoing, tummy tuck surgery receive a postoperative pain control pump. I have yet to have a patient complain of the "hassle" factor. In my opinion, there is no demonstrable difference between the use of local anesthesia provided through a pain pump versus long lasting injectable anesthetics. There are certainly no objective studies that demonstrate the superiority of one over the other. Best wishes.

We use pain pumps for pain control after tummy tucks. This is similar to having a long acting Novocain after dental surgery. This medication is slowly administered through the body for up to three days; controlling the problem for a long period of time.

Recently, we have begun to utilize an alternative medication, Exparel. This long lasting anesthetic is injected directly into the tissue and has the same longevity as a pain pump --minus the annoyance of a "pump". Patients have been very pleased and comfortable with the pain control with this new medication. All the best -- Dr. Cohen

I like to use the passive pain pumps (Go pump, On-Q) for tummy tucks. They are not a stand alone solution to the abdominal pain, but I believe that patients do get some relief in the early postoperative period.

Hello, Pain pumps are a part of "mainstream" management including after tummy tuck. However their effectiveness varies depending on which research study you might read. Pumps will reduce rather than eliminate pain and you can get powerful pain relief from careful injection of the "ab" muscles at the time of surgery - this gives good relief for 12-15 hours without a tube from your tummy to the external pump. Of course 12-15 hours is still short so like many things there is a trade-off. Generally, I can get very good pain control without these devices so I don't routinely use them - but I wouldn't criticise those who do.

The attached link might be of interest. 

Best Wishes