Postoperative analgesia after microsurgical breast reconstruction using liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel).

Conventional opioid-based regimen for postoperative analgesia after autologous breast reconstruction can be associated with significant side effects. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of an intraoperatively administered transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with liposomal bupivacaine on postoperative narcotic use in patients undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction with free abdominal flaps. Patients treated between December 2016 and June 2017 were included in the study.

Breast Reconstruction with Free Abdominal Flaps Is Associated with Persistent Lower Extremity Venous Stasis.

Background: Previous work has demonstrated the occurrence of lower extremity venous stasis in the early postoperative period after breast reconstruction with free abdominal flaps. The authors investigated whether venous stasis persisted through the day of discharge, thus potentially exposing patients to an elevated risk of venous thromboembolism following discharge.

Methods: Patients who underwent breast reconstruction with free abdominal flaps were enrolled prospectively and underwent duplex ultrasound of the common femoral vein at the following time points: preoperatively, postoperative day 1, and day of discharge.

Psychopharmacological Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with affective and cognitive symptoms causing personal distress and reduced global functioning. These have considerable societal costs due to healthcare service utilization.

Objective: Our aim was to assess the efficacy of pharmacological interventions in OCD and clinical guidelines, providing a comprehensive overview of this field.

Predictive factors of overall functioning improvement in patients with chronic schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder treated with paliperidone palmitate and aripiprazole monohydrate.

Background: Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics can improve medication adherence and reduce hospitalisation rates compared with oral treatments. Paliperidone palmitate (PAL) and aripiprazole monohydrate (ARI) LAI treatments were associated with improvements in global functioning in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the predictive factors of better overall functioning in patients with chronic schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder treated with PAL and ARI.

Social Media and the Plastic Surgery Patient.

Background: Many plastic surgeons use social media as a marketing tool to attract and retain patients, but information about how patients use social media and their preferred types of plastic surgery posts have been lacking.

Methods: To investigate patients' preferred social media networks and the type of posts they wished to see, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a single aesthetic practice of two plastic surgeons by surveying 100 consecutive patients.

Results: The age of the patients averaged 44.