Effect of Liposomal Bupivacaine on Postoperative Opioid Requirements for Total Hip Arthroplasty, Total Knee Arthroplasty, Laminectomy, Hysterectomy, and Abdominoplasty Procedures

Purpose: Opioid use postoperatively has been linked to adverse events and an increase in opioid dependency. This retrospective study evaluated the effect of using liposomal bupivacaine (LB) for postoperative pain control on total opioid consumption, pain control, serious opioid-related adverse events (ORAEs), and hospital length of stay (LOS) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), total hip arthroplasty (THA), laminectomy, hysterectomy, and abdominoplasty procedures when compared with a control group. Methods: Patients receiving LB from August 1, 2017, to February 1, 2018, for the aforementioned procedures were included for evaluation, and patients undergoing similar procedures who did not receive LB served as the control group. The principal outcome was opioid consumption through postoperative day 5 or discharge, whichever came first, assessed by morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). Secondary outcomes included pain scores within 72 hours postoperation, hospital LOS, and serious ORAEs. Results: A total of 323 patients were identified for inclusion in the study: TKA, n = 144; THA, n = 48; laminectomy, n = 73; hysterectomy, n = 30; and abdominoplasty, n = 28. Liposomal bupivacaine use was associated with reduced postoperative opioid consumption compared with alternative therapies with a median 71 MME (25%-75%; interquartile range [IQR] = 32.5-148.5) versus 102 MME (25%-75%; IQR = 57-165), P < .005. However, higher numeric pain scores were reported in the LB group compared with the control group for postoperative day 0 with a median of 5.5 (25%-75%; IQR = 4.5-7.4) versus 5.5 (25%-75%; IQR = 4-7) in the control group (P < .001) and on postoperative day 1 with a median of 6 (25%-75%; IQR = 4.5-7) versus 5.5 (25%-75%; IQR = 4.3-7), P < .001. There was no difference in hospital LOS or ORAEs. Conclusion: In this retrospective analysis of pain management after TKA, THA, laminectomy, hysterectomy, and abdominoplasty procedures, patients receiving LB consumed significantly less opioid medications. However, this was not associated with clinically meaningful improvements in pain scores, hospital LOS, or serious ORAEs.