Florida Hospital Waterman | Waterman Wellness | Spring 2016

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Don't let constant pain
weigh you down
Laura Fernandez, here with her husband, finally
has relief from constant pain.
Richard Bosshardt, MD,
FACS
Peter Marzek, MD, FACS
TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF
Constant pain is something no one should have to
deal with, especially if there is a way to achieve
relief. If you believe you are a candidate for breast
reduction, go to to find a
plastic surgeon to help.
same day of the surgery. They’re rarely
taking prescription pain medications
more than two or three days, and in most
cases they are surprised that the procedure
didn’t cause as much discomfort as they
expected,” says
Richard Bosshardt,
MD, FACS.
In addition
to the general
anesthesia provided
for the surgery,
Drs. Bosshardt and
Marzek provide
a local anesthetic
injection to the area of the surgical
procedure that gives patients eight to ten
hours of near-complete pain relief. This
injection helps patients handle any pain
they may experience immediately after
surgery, when pain is potentially most
severe.
“I was very nervous about receiving
anesthesia due to a previous bad
experience, but the doctors and nurses
were very reassuring and explained things
over and over again to help ease my
concerns,” Fernandez says. “Right before
the procedure, we all paused for a moment
of prayer, and my heart was finally at
peace.”
Patient satisfaction
Fernandez recalls having absolutely no
problem with recovery. “I woke up to my
husband by my side, and we just went
home where I was able to just take it easy
and relax for a few days before returning to
work,” she says.
“Breast reduction surgery is where we
see the most patient satisfaction in our
practice. It is the one operation that I
believe is closest to nearly a 100 percent
success rate in relieving symptoms,” says
Dr. Bosshardt. “Most of our patients tell
me after surgery that they wish they had it
done years ago.”
Laura Fernandez, of Apopka, a
seasoned nurse and an avid reader and
writer, is used to getting the job done no
matter what comes her way. So when the
weight of excessive breast tissue caused
her terrible upper back and neck pain, she
tried just about everything to find relief.
“As a nurse, I am used to taking care of
things on my own,” Fernandez says. “I did
everything to alleviate the pain and the
constant pulling sensation, but nothing
seemed to help.”
After attempting pain relievers, physical
therapy and a chiropractor, her primary
care physician suggested she call Bosshardt
and Marzek Plastic Surgery Associates.
Thorough evaluation
“When a woman
has large breasts,
we do a thorough
evaluation to see if
she is a candidate
for breast reduction
and whether it is a
medically necessary
procedure,” says
Peter Marzek, MD, FACS. “We will review
her expectations, her medical conditions,
allergies and medical treatments, and any
previous surgeries. We discuss any family
history of breast cancer, and mammogram
or biopsy results. And, if it is determined
to be medically necessary, it should be
covered by her health insurance.”
The procedure
Breast reduction, also known as reduction
mammaplasty, removes excess breast fat,
glandular tissue and skin to achieve a
breast size proportionate to a woman’s
body and alleviate the discomfort
associated with extremely large breasts.
“Women will usually go home the
PLASTIC SURGERY
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