A Thorough Examination of Liposomal Bupivacaine for Pain Management in Lower Limb Joint Replacement Surgery
-
By
-
Fang, Yuang
-
Hu, Beilin
-
Mu, Guo
-
Yu, Hong
-
Zhou, Jun
-
April 6, 2026
Objective:
To assess the efficacy and safety of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) in postoperative pain management for lower extremity joint arthroplasty.
Key Findings:
- LB resulted in a 35-50% reduction in 24-hour opioid requirements (pooled RR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.32-0.89; p = 0.008).
- LB reduced hospital length of stay by an average of 0.5 days (MD = -0.5 days; 95% CI: -0.7 to -0.3; p < 0.001).
- LB enhanced early-phase analgesia with a 24-hour VAS reduction of 1.2 points (MD = -1.2 points; 95% CI: -1.5 to -0.9; p < 0.001).
Interpretation:
LB provides opioid-sparing effects and is used with adductor canal block in TKA procedures.
Limitations:
- Cost-effectiveness of LB varies by surgical procedure.
- No significant difference in analgesia was observed beyond 72 hours compared to controls.
Conclusion:
LB offers benefits in pain management, but its cost-benefit profile requires careful assessment.
