This study was to determine whether an implantable local anesthetic catheter placed in the abdomen during DIEP flap breast reconstruction could decrease narcotic use during the early post-operative period. A retrospective analysis of 41 consecutive control patients (no catheter) were compared to 29 consecutive study patients who had. The pain pump was used in the abdomen for 72 hours in the study group. Using an equianalgesic table provided from the pharmacy, all narcotic doses were converted to intravenous morphine milligram equivalents. Initial 24 hour post-operative morphine requirement for the Control Group was 42 +/- 26 milligrams compared to 34 +/- 18 milligrams for the Study Group (p=0.09). Total hospitalization morphine requirement for the Control Group was 70 +/- 41 milligrams compared to 54 +/- 30 milligrams for the Catheter Group (p=0.03). There was no significant difference in anti-nausea medication use (1.9 vs. 2.1 doses, p=0.37). In conclusion, the use of an implantable local anesthetic catheter placed in the abdomen can decrease narcotic use in the post-operative period after DIEP flap breast reconstruction.