Botox Eases Pain of Breast Reconstruction

Injecting wrinkle treatment into pectoral muscles reduces discomfort, study finds

MONDAY, Oct. 11, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- Botox, best known as a wrinkle treatment, seems to help control pain during breast reconstruction surgery.

That was the claim of new research presented Oct. 11 at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons conference in Philadelphia.

The study found that Botox injected into the pectoral muscles reduced pain and discomfort and shortened the hospital stays of women who had mastectomies followed by breast reconstruction with tissue expanders.

Tissue expanders are balloon-like devices that are placed beneath the pectoral muscle. The expanders are slowly inflated to stretch the tissue to accommodate a breast implant. But this tissue expansion can cause muscle spasms and additional pain.

The women in this study who received Botox injections used 89 percent less morphine in the first 24 hours following surgery, spent one less day in hospital, and needed three fewer doctor visits than women in a control group who didn't receive the Botox injections, according to the findings.

"We are always searching for ways to decrease pain for breast reconstruction patients and found that using Botox after surgery significantly decreased the pain and discomfort they experienced," according to a prepared statement from study co-author Dr. Julio Hochberg, of the Arkansas Cancer Research Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

More information

The National Cancer Institute has more about breast reconstruction.

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