Reduced Opioid Use Among Patients Who Received Liposomal Bupivacaine Brachial Plexus Block for Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Purpose This retrospective cohort explores the efficacy of regional shoulder blocks using Exparel™ in patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA)/reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) to reduce total opioid prescription, refills, and length of stay in the acute care setting. Methods Patients who underwent TSA/RSA by a single surgeon in a three-year period were evaluated. Patients in the case group received liposomal bupivacaine 1.3% brachial plexus block while the control group received ropivacaine 0.5% interscalene brachial plexus block. Outcomes of the study included the number of opioids taken, opioids prescribed, and length of hospital stay. Results Thirty-six patients underwent TSA/RSA between January 2017 and March 2020. Patients who received an Exparel brachial plexus block had decreased opioid use within the first 24 hours after surgery compared to the ropivacaine group, 9.00 ± 14.10 and 26.20 ± 24.8 morphine milligram equivalent (MME), respectively (p=0.0213). Patients who received an Exparel brachial plexus block had decreased opioid prescriptions over the entire postoperative follow-up, 411.00 ± 200.74 MME in the case group and 593.07 ± 297.57 MME in the control group (p=0.0314). Lastly, patients who received an Exparel brachial plexus block had a shorter length of hospital stay, 1.28 ± 0.91 days as compared to the control group's 2.15 ± 1.49 days (p=0.0451). Conclusion This study demonstrates a significant reduction in opioid prescribing and use in patients who receive Exparel brachial plexus nerve blocks compared to non-liposomal local anesthetics, as well as a significant reduction in the length of hospital stay. The data suggest that Exparel use may decrease the risks associated with opioid use while providing adequate analgesia in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty.