Liposomal Bupivacaine vs Interscalene Nerve Block for Pain Control After Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

The aim of this study was to compare liposomal bupivacaine and interscalene nerve block (ISNB) for analgesia after shoulder arthroplasty. We compared 37 patients who received liposomal bupivacaine vs 21 who received ISNB after shoulder arthroplasty by length of hospital stay (LOS), opioid consumption, and postoperative pain. Pain was the same in both groups for time intervals of 1 hour and 8 to 14 hours postoperatively. Compared with ISNB patients, liposomal bupivacaine patients reported less pain at 18 to 24 hours (P = .001) and 27 to 36 hours (P = .029) and had lower opioid consumption on postoperative days 2 (P = .001) and 3 (P = .002). Mean LOS for liposomal bupivacaine patients was 46 ± 20 hours vs 57 ± 14 hours for ISNB patients (P = .012). Sixteen of 37 liposomal bupivacaine patients vs 2 of 21 ISNB patients were discharged on the first postoperative day (P = .010). Liposomal bupivacaine was associated with less pain, less opioid consumption, and shorter hospital stays after shoulder arthroplasty compared with ISNB.