Efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine versus bupivacaine in port site injections on postoperative pain within enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery program: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND

Use of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) in surgery is reported with decreased postoperative opioid requirements. The efficacy of LB versus standard bupivacaine injections at laparoscopic port sites during bariatric surgery is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether there was a difference in postoperative hospital opioid requirements after port site injections of LB versus standard bupivacaine during laparoscopic bariatric surgeries. Primary endpoint was total in hospital opioid use expressed as morphine-equivalent use. Secondary endpoints included home opioid use, pain scores, hospital length of stay, and adverse events.

SETTING

Academic-affiliated private practice.

METHODS

A 2-group randomized, double-blinded trial from November 2017 to August 2018 with patients randomly assigned to receive either LB or bupivacaine alone at trocar site injections during laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). All patients underwent enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery protocols.

RESULTS

All patients undergoing LRYGB or VSG assessed for eligibility. Of 682 patients undergoing LRYGB or VSG, 231 met inclusion criteria, 52 patients excluded intraoperatively. Among 231 patients (mean age, 39.2 years; 79% women; mean body mass index 45.0), 179 patients (77%) completed the trial. Patients randomly assigned to receive either LB (n = 89) or bupivacaine alone (n = 90) at trocar site injection during LRYGB or VSG. Postoperative morphine-equivalent use were similar (LB 8.3 [standard deviation 4.0-13.9] versus bupivacaine group 7.5 [standard deviation 3.6-13.1] P = .94) with highest requirement in first 4 hours after surgery. There was no significant difference in length of stay, pain scores, or complications. There were more patients in the bupivacaine group that did not take pain medications on postoperative days 2 to 4 (P = .032, P = .23, P = .005, respectively). There were more patients in the bupivacaine group 48.1% (n = 39) compared with the LB group 34.2% (n = 27) that did not consume any narcotic tablets at home but this not found to be statistically significant (P value = .07).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients undergoing primary bariatric surgery under enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery protocol, there was no significant difference in postoperative hospital opioid use in those receiving LB compared with standard bupivacaine. A greater percentage of patients in the standard bupivacaine group did not require any narcotics at home, which was significant on postoperative days 2 to 4. To become completely opioid free after bariatric surgery, resources should be focused on multimodal approaches instead of reliance on type of anesthetic medication used.