GENERAL SURGERY

Select a surgery

GENERAL

MAKE A PLAN WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND ASK ABOUT NON-OPIOID OPTIONS FOR PAIN AFTER SURGERY.

Some of the most common concerns about surgery are the amount of pain involved and what to expect when recovering. Well-controlled pain can influence your recovery. General surgery procedures often involve an abdominal incision, so pain is expected. However, everyone experiences pain differently. Your doctor will have a pain management plan that includes different combinations of medications, including opioid and non-opioid options. In addition to managing pain after surgery, the plan is aimed at helping you reach important recovery goals such as moving, walking, eating, and getting back to normal daily activities. Talk to your doctor about a pain management plan that is right for you and your type of surgery. Create your discussion guide now.

General surgery covers a variety of procedures on diﬀerent areas of the body, but often includes the abdomen. Some common general surgical procedures are

Appendix or gallbladder removal
Colorectal (colon and/or rectal) surgery
Hernia repair
Bowel surgery
Hemorrhoid surgery
Weight loss surgery (known as bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass)

Appendix or gallbladder removal
Hemorrhoid surgery
Bowel surgery
Hernia repair
Colorectal (colon and/or rectal) surgery
Weight loss surgery (known as bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass)

8% of patients

who took opioids for the ﬁrst time after gastric sleeve weight loss surgery became long-term users of opioids

17% of patients

who had a bowel resection became long-term users after taking opioids for the ﬁrst time

SIDE EFFECTS from opioids can slow down your recovery and may cause nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Opioids may make you feel drowsy or confused.

Patients aged 65 years and older who are prescribed opioids are 44% more likely to become long-term users.

40%

Women are 40% MORE LIKELY than men to become long-term users of opioids after surgery.

While many patients may receive opioids after surgery, there are other options for managing pain after surgery that may help you during recovery. That's why it's important to discuss these options with your doctor.

NON-OPIOID EXPAREL PROVIDES LONG-LASTING PAIN RELIEF AFTER SURGERY

EXPAREL is given during surgery as part of an opioid-minimizing approach and controls pain for the first few days after surgery, when you need it most
EXPAREL works by numbing the area of your body where your surgery was performed, unlike opioids, which affect your whole body

In general surgery, patients given EXPAREL^*

Reported less pain

Required fewer opioids^†

Were ready to leave the hospital sooner

Had fewer complications after surgery

^*Based on clinical studies of surgeries using EXPAREL as an alternative to standard of care.

^†The clinical beneﬁt of the decrease in opioid consumption was not demonstrated in the pivotal trials.

FIND A DOCTOR WHO USES EXPAREL

If you are planning for surgery and think EXPAREL is right for you, find doctors and facilities that offer EXPAREL.

Indication

EXPAREL^® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) is indicated to produce postsurgical local analgesia via infiltration in patients aged 6 years and older and regional analgesia in adults via an interscalene brachial plexus nerve block, sciatic nerve block in the popliteal fossa, and an adductor canal block. Safety and efficacy have not been established in other nerve blocks.

Important Safety Information

EXPAREL should not be used in obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia.

In studies in adults where EXPAREL was injected into a wound, the most common side effects were nausea, constipation, and vomiting.

In studies in adults where EXPAREL was injected near a nerve, the most common side effects were nausea, fever, headache, and constipation.

In the study where EXPAREL was given to children, the most common side effects were nausea, vomiting, constipation, low blood pressure, low number of red blood cells, muscle twitching, blurred vision, itching, and rapid heartbeat.

EXPAREL can cause a temporary loss of feeling and/or loss of muscle movement. How much and how long the loss of feeling and/or muscle movement depends on where and how much of EXPAREL was injected and may last for up to 5 days.

EXPAREL is not recommended to be used in patients younger than 6 years old for injection into the wound, for patients younger than 18 years old for injection near a nerve, and/or in pregnant women.

Tell your health care provider if you or your child has liver disease, since this may affect how the active ingredient (bupivacaine) in EXPAREL is eliminated from the body.

EXPAREL should not be injected into the spine, joints, or veins.

The active ingredient in EXPAREL can affect the nervous system and the cardiovascular system; may cause an allergic reaction; may cause damage if injected into the joints; and can cause a rare blood disorder.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.