Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery
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J Shoulder Elbow Surg · Oct 2017
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA prospective randomized controlled trial to identify the optimal postoperative pain management in shoulder arthroplasty: liposomal bupivacaine versus continuous interscalene catheter.
Shoulder arthroplasty is the fastest growing joint replacement surgery in the United States, and optimal postoperative pain management is critical to optimize outcomes for these surgeries. Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) has gained popularity for its potential to provide extended postoperative pain relief with possibly fewer side effects. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of LB compared with continuous interscalene nerve block (CISB) in terms of postoperative pain control, outpatient pain scores, and patient-reported and functional outcomes after shoulder arthroplasty surgery. ⋯ This prospective randomized controlled trial demonstrated that LB provides excellent postoperative pain relief for shoulder arthroplasty patients. In addition, LB had fewer complications and lower cost, making it a promising addition to a multimodal pain regimen for shoulder arthroplasty.