PHILADELPHIA, Oct 11, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- The wrinkle-reducing Botox solution has been found to reduce pain and shorten hospital stays following mastectomies, a study published Monday said.

The study was presented at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Plastic Surgery 2004 conference in Philadelphia by its author, Dr. Julio Hochberg.

The study examined women who had mastectomies, followed by breast reconstruction with tissue expanders. The tissue expanders, balloon like devices, were placed beneath the pectoral muscle and slowly inflated to allow time for the tissue to stretch and ultimately accommodate a breast implant.

Unfortunately, tissue expansion causes muscle spasms and additional pain. By injecting the muscles with Botox, the spasms, pain, and discomfort significantly decreased.

Hochberg found patients who received Botox injections used 89 percent less morphine in the first 24 hours after surgery, had their hospital stay reduced by one day, and required three fewer physician visits than the control group to achieve the targeted tissue expansion before placing the breast implant.

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