Explore Plastic Surgery

ActiPatch is a non-drug, anti-inflammatory device that has been used for multiple medical conditions from facial surgery recovery to plantar fasciitis. It helps reduce swelling and inflammation through the use of pulsed electromagnetic fields contained in either a patch design or a loop configurations. The patch or loop devices contain a tiny circuit which is operated by a small low-voltage battery. Beneath the geometry of the circuit, a penetrating electromagnetic field or zone is created which penetrates into the tissues under the skin. The frequency of the generated signal works by decreasing intercellular fluid and inflammation in the injured site. As a result, the amount of swelling and associated pain around a surgery site is reduced and recovery is accelerated.

I first starting using ActiPatch for my own back and shoulder pains from years of long hours of surgery. It worked as well as any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and I began to use it on my breast augmentation patients. By positioning a crescent patch over the upper medial pole of the breast (where the raised pectoralis major muscle exists) and another patch over the lateral pole of the breast (4 patches per patient), I have been equally impressed with the results. My past 25 breast augmentation patients have used it with good success. It is now part of my routinue postop breast augmentation protocol and I have each patient wear them around the clock for the first 48 hours after surgery. In most cases, patients are off pain medications within 24 hours. While I aggressively place them on an arm exercise program after surgery (http://www.rapidrecoverybreastaugmentation.com), which makes a big contribution to their recovery as well, the use of the ActiPatch is a simple and easy adjunct to this recovery protocol. Breast augmentation patients are extremely appreciative of any efforts made to decrease any potential pain, which is their biggest fear about breast augmentation surgery. Based on my experience with it in the breast implant patient, I can see no reason why it would not be of benefit for all kinds of breast surgery as well.

Dr Barry Eppley
http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com
http://www.ologyspa.com
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis

Return to Normal Quickly after Breast Augmentation – Dr Eppley’s Approach in Indianapolis

Breast augmentation is both a popular and highly successful procedure that is done over 300,000 times per year in the United States alone. Some women, however, fear the procedure due to the belief that there is a lot of pain after surgery and that their return to work or normal activities may take several weeks. Breast augmentation surgery today, however, can put the patient back to a near normal schedule within days.

Breast augmentation, from a simplistic standpoint, is really a big ‘pulled muscle’. In this
case, the pectoralis muscle on the chest is ‘pulled’. Breast augmentation, in most cases, is the lifting up of this muscle and placing an implant partially underneath it. No breast implant is completely under the muscle or it would be positioned too high and the nipple would be pointing downward. As the pocket into which a breast implant is placed controls the final shape of the breast, recovery after breast augmentation is really muscular. From a physical therapy standpoint, how do you recover from a pulled muscle? Do you not move it…or bind it up and keep it from moving? The answer is…..use it! Early moving and stretching of an injured muscle is the key to a faster recovery after breast augmentation. You can’t hurt the breast implant by using your arm and chest muscles and early movement will not be responsible for an implant ‘getting out of position’.

In Indianapolis, the approach to a no recovery breast augmentation program begins in the operating room. A dose of steroids is given at the start of surgery and a bioelectric device, known as Actipatch, is placed over each breast before the patient leaves the operating room. This device, which is worn for 48 hours after surgery, helps control pain and swelling. I then start my breast augmentation patients on range of motion arm exercises beginning the night of surgery as well as 800mg of Ibuprofen also. The goal is to get patients off narcotic pain medication in 24 hours, if possible, and be able to get out of the house for dinner or shopping the next day. While not every patient achieves this exact timeline for a ‘no recovery’, this approach helps make a breast augmentation easier to go through than ever before.

Dr Barry Eppley
http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com
http://www.ologyspa.com
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis

Advanced Bio-Electric Healing Technology

What can I do, as a plastic surgeon, to help my patients recover faster? What can I do to help their swelling, bruising, and pain be less? We use all of the traditional therapies of cold compresses, arnica tablets and gel, elevation of the surgical area, and pain medications. But I have recently added a new option, offering advanced bio-electric therapy (ActiPatch) to help my patients heal better after surgery.

ActiPatch delivers the same pulsed electromagnetic therapy, used by physicians, therapists, and athletic trainers worldwide to reduce pain and swelling and accelerate healing. The traditional clinical treatments of bio-electrics is expensive and inconvenient for most patients. Now, through microchip technology, this home-based therapy is available in a convenient, easy to use, low-cost patch. Applied right after surgery, and used for the first week after surgery, ActiPatch works by driving out the swelling and negative by-products from the damaged tissues. With less swelling, a decrease in pain occurs.

ActiPatch is a wearable technology, is flexible, light weight, and easy to apply and use. Once activated, ActiPatch begins pulsing a continuous low level current to energize damaged cells in the surgical region, helping remove the effects of surgery so you can feel better and look better faster!

ActiPatch has been shown to be effective in reducing pain in breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, blepharoplasty (eyelid), nose and facelift surgeries.

Dr Barry Eppley
www.eppleyplasticsurgery.coom
www.ologyspa.com
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis