Outpatient Surgery Magazine - Subscribers

No Guarantees - March 2017 - Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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Pain Pumps Provide patients with consistent, long-lasting pain relief. T he limiting fac- tor in discharg- ing patients hours after they've undergone painful procedures is manag- ing their pain once they're home. That's where pain pumps come in. As more invasive procedures continue to migrate to outpatient facilities, the demand for pain pumps is only going to grow. At the Andrews Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center, we've been sending patients home with them for 10 years and have had tremen- dous success. There's a learning curve for providers, but once you've mastered the skills needed to place catheters in the right locations, pumps can be a terrific alternative to the opioids-and-good-luck approach of managing post-op pain. Elastomeric or electronic? Which pump should you choose? There are several factors to consid- er. There are 2 distinct types. Elastomeric pumps slowly deflate on their own, pushing anesthetic through an IV-type tube to continuously bathe nerves with soothing relief. Electronic pumps use batteries or external power sources to provide the same relief. Elastomeric pumps, and some electronic models, are disposable and therefore typ- ically more expensive. When patients equipped with non-disposable 1 1 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 7 Thinking of Buying … Gregory Hickman, MD • POWER OF PUMPS While pain pumps are useful tools for controlling post-op pain, it's critical to educate patients on their safe and proper use.

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