A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Liposomal Bupivacaine (Exparel) When Compared to Saline Control in Reducing Opioid Utilization for Pain Management in Postoperative Lumbar Spine Surgeries.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Liposomal Bupivacaine (Exparel) When Compared to Saline Control in Reducing Opioid Utilization for Pain Management in Postoperative Lumbar Spine Surgeries.
The purpose of this study is to establish a relationship between liposomal bupivacaine surgical site injection and postop opioid utilization.
Multiple studies have shown that people who are taking opioids for acute pain have a greater likelihood of long-term opioid use. Many efforts have been made to reduce postop pain and opioid use, including developments in incisional site injections of local anesthetics, continuous incisional site anesthetic pain pumps, as well as multimodal comprehensive pain management, yet patients undergoing lumbar spine surgeries continue to depend on opioids for relief. Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) (Exparel) is a novel formulation of long-acting bupivacaine, lasting for up to 72 hours following injection. LB has been shown to be efficacious in reducing postop pain and opioid utilization in several different surgical settings, however its utility in spine surgeries has still yet to be established. The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine vs saline in lumbar spine surgeries in reducing opioid utilization as well as determine if there difference patient reported outcomes and length of hospital stay.
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Exclusion Criteria: