Botox may be useful for reducing post-operative pain after breast reconstruction surgery, according to plastic surgeon Allen Gabriel M.D., who discussed the procedure at the recent meeting of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
The doctor conducted a 30-patient clinical trial for this off-label application, demonstrating that botulinum toxin type A can help physicians address post-operative pain of breast reconstruction.
A temporary tissue expander is often used during breast reconstruction, which is placed between layers of the chest muscle and filled with water to create a pocket for the breast implant. Pain can result from muscle contractions and spasms in response to the gradual tissue expansion.
Dr. Gabriel, along with his collaborator Dr. G. Patrick Maxwell, theorized that Botox injections could offer relief by temporarily paralyzing the muscle so that fewer spasms occur, thereby reducing pain and discomfort.
They designed a clinical trial with 30 breast cancer patients, who all planned a mastectomy and subsequent silicone implant breast reconstruction. They were divided into 2 groups: one received Botox injections in the chest muscle and the other received injections of saline solution as a placebo.
After reconstructive surgery, the women who received the Botox injections were reportedly more comfortable than those who received placebo. The doctors measured patient responses 3 times during and after the procedure, noting that during days 7 to 45 of the recovery period, those that received Botox injections used significantly fewer doses of narcotics and muscle relaxants.
I am a patient of Dr. Gabriel. a very very satisfied customer at that! i was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26 and didnt want mastectomy due to the pain. i had researched and talked with other survivors who described the process as “the most excruciating pain ever”. they told me horror stories about 9-10 months of horrible pain and not being able to live their lives normally in the process. i didnt want anything to do with that until i met Dr. Gabriel.
I was a very active person and didnt want to be on pain medication for so long. I wanted to be able to get back to living and snowboarding, hiking, traveling, rock climbing, and running. I had my double mastectomy in Dec. 2008 and had my expansions done in less than a month. I was back to work after surgery in 6 weeks. then i had the implants put in May 2009 and was once again back to work after 6 weeks. for both surgeries i was off my pain meds in 3 weeks. i had a complete double mastectomy with reconstruction finished in less than 6 months and hardly any pain! I thought it was too good to be true until i did it. i have amazing results and i am the biggest supporter of botox and reconstruction. Before this innovation, it was torture. now it is remarkable!
nice info, I wanted to be myself, not a ‘cancer victim,’ and getting my breasts back helped me to feel attractive and empowered. The truth is that after I was diagnosed with cancer, I felt that my body had let me down. Breast Reconstruction helped me become friends with my body again.”
thanks