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Male nurse assists female patient in postsurgical physical therapy for knee arthroplasty pediatric

Remember, a successful recovery begins with your pain management plan.

REMEMBER, A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY FOR YOUR CHILD BEGINS WITH THEIR PAIN MANAGEMENT PLAN.

Use this helpful tool to put together talking points for your next appointment.

How pain is managed after surgery can have a big impact on your recovery. The best way to prepare is to tell your doctor about your concerns and preferences during your consultation. You should feel comfortable talking about your options, and confident in your approach. This tool can help you have that conversation.

Check all the talking points that are important to you. After you make your selections, click/tap the ”Create” button. Your personalized Discussion Guide will open as a PDF, which you can print out or email for your next appointment.

USE THIS HELPFUL TOOL TO ORGANIZE DISCUSSION POINTS FOR YOUR CHILD’S NEXT DOCTOR APPOINTMENT.

How pain is managed after surgery can have a big impact on your child’s recovery. The best way to prepare is to talk to your child’s doctor about your concerns and preferences for managing your child’s pain following surgery and how to help the healing process. You should feel comfortable talking about your options and confident in your approach. This tool can help you have that conversation during your child’s presurgical consultation.

Check all the talking points that are important to you and your child. After you make your selections, click/tap the ”Create” button. Your personalized Children’s Discussion Guide will open as a PDF, which you can print out or email for your next appointment.

YOUR PREFERENCES

EXPAREL is a non-opioid treatment option administered during surgery. It delivers long-lasting pain relief and reduces or eliminates the need for opioids.
Let your doctor know if you have experienced any side effects with anesthesia and/or pain medications in the past.
Some patients do not like the idea of taking opioids/narcotics for several reasons. Opioids can cause drowsiness or fogginess, constipation, and nausea. Some people develop a tolerance to opioids and might need higher doses to get the same relief. And some people worry about becoming addicted to opioids, or about their medications being misused by others.
Certain pain management devices and medications, and their side effects, can affect your recovery time.

OTHER CONDITIONS/MEDICAL HISTORY

Let your doctor know any medications you are already taking so you can find out whether you can continue taking them before and after your surgery.
In patients with an enlarged prostate that is not cancerous, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), opioid pain medications can make it more difficult to urinate.
It is important for your doctor to know if there are any medicines you are not able to take.
Some medications may need to be adjusted if you have heart disease, or conditions involving your liver or kidneys. Tell your doctor if you have severe liver or kidney disease.
Patients with sleep apnea may have a higher risk of breathing-related side effects with opioids/narcotics, so be sure to let your doctor know if you have it.
While blood thinners (such as aspirin or warfarin) can help prevent clots and stroke, they can also increase your risk of bleeding. Find out whether you can continue to take these medications before and after surgery.
Asthma and COPD can increase the risk of breathing-related side effects with certain types of anesthesia and/or pain medications.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or are considering breastfeeding; there are certain female health procedures where EXPAREL should not be used.
Certain medications are typically avoided if you have a stomach or intestinal issue. For example, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can irritate the stomach lining. Some pain medications can also make it more difficult for patients to have bowel movements.
Be sure your doctor knows every medication you're taking, including supplements.

Your Questions

Where your surgery is, how it's done, and how your body responds to pain medications can all affect how you feel. Ask your doctor what you can expect.
This can help you understand how long it might take for you to get back to doing the things you love.
There are a variety of medications your doctor may use before, during, and after surgery to minimize your need for opioids, including those that can be used to numb the area where you had your procedure.
Find out more about transitioning back to your home and your usual routine after surgery.
Ask about the usual stay for someone having your type of surgery so you know how to plan.
There may be things you can do on your own that can help speed up your recovery. Find out if there's anything you can do.
Your customized Discussion Guide will open in a new browser tab.

YOUR PREFERENCES

EXPAREL is a non-opioid treatment option administered during surgery. It delivers long-lasting pain relief and reduces or eliminates the need for opioids.
Let your doctor know if your child has experienced any side effects with anesthesia and/or pain medications in the past.
Opioids can cause drowsiness, fogginess, constipation, or nausea. They can also become addicting and lead to potential misuse in children and others around them. Tell your doctor if you do not want opioids to be a part of your child's recovery plan. Ask about EXPAREL and other options for managing pain following your child's surgery.
Certain pain management devices and medications, and their side effects, can affect your child’s recovery time. Ask your doctor to inform you about any possible impacts that the pain management plan may have on your child's recovery.

OTHER CONDITIONS/MEDICAL HISTORY

Let your child's doctor know about any medications your child is taking so you can find out whether your child can continue taking them before and after surgery.
Some medications may need to be adjusted if your child has heart disease or conditions involving their liver or kidneys. Tell your child’s doctor if your child has severe liver or kidney disease.
It is important for your child's doctor to know if there are any medicines your child is not able to take.
While blood thinners (such as aspirin or warfarin) can help prevent clots and stroke, they can also increase your child’s risk of bleeding. Find out whether your child can continue to take these medications before and after surgery.
Patients with sleep apnea may have a higher risk of breathing-related side effects with opioids/narcotics, so be sure to let your doctor know if your child has it.
Tell your child’s doctor if your child is pregnant, think they may be pregnant, or are considering breastfeeding; there are certain female health procedures where EXPAREL should not be used.
Asthma can increase the risk of breathing-related side effects with certain types of anesthesia and/or pain medications.
Be sure your child’s doctor knows every medication your child is taking, including supplements.
Certain medications are typically avoided if your child has a stomach or intestinal issue. For example, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can irritate the stomach lining. Some pain medications can also make it more difficult for patients to have bowel movements.

Your Questions

Where your child’s surgery is, how it’s done, and how your child’s body responds to pain medications can all affect how your child feels. Ask your child’s doctor what you and your child can expect.
This can help you and your child understand how long it might take for your child to get back to doing the things they love.
There are a variety of medications your child’s doctor may use before, during, and after surgery to minimize your child’s need for opioids, including those that can be used to numb the area where your child had their procedure. You can also ask the hospital staff to inform you on the risks associated with the pain medications you may be leaving with and when it is appropriate to give them to your child.
Find out more about transitioning back to your home and your child’s usual routine after surgery. Ask that the hospital staff keep you updated about when and what pain medications are being given in the days following surgery, so you have a better idea of how to manage it when going home.
Ask about the usual stay for someone having your child’s type of surgery so you and your child know how to plan.
There may be things your child can do on their own that can help speed up recovery. Find out if there’s anything you can do.
Your customized Pediatric Discussion Guide will open in a new browser tab.

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.

See More

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