The safety of liposome bupivacaine 2 years post-launch: a look back and a look forward

Abstract

The need for better post-surgical pain management continues to be unmet, despite clinicians’ awareness and concern for many years. Opioids remain the standard of care because of their analgesic efficacy; however, opioid use is often associated with adverse effects and poor patient outcomes. Multimodal analgesic regimens have recently been endorsed as a way to provide adequate post-surgical pain control while reducing opioid consumption. Liposome bupivacaine is a liposomal formulation of bupivacaine indicated for a single administration into the surgical site. Based on the available clinical trial data compiled to date, as well as the author’s review of publicly available post-marketing safety information, liposome bupivacaine may be a viable addition to currently available therapeutic options for post-surgical analgesia while reducing potential risks associated with use of opioid analgesics, and may represent a useful addition to the multimodal analgesic modalities currently used for post-operative pain management. The potential for its use in other areas is also being investigated. The purpose of this review is to examine the currently available post-marketing safety information on liposome bupivacaine.

Keywords:

• analgesia
• liposome bupivacaine
• post-surgical pain

Declaration of interest

This paper has been funded by Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ER Viscusi is a board member of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, has received research funding through Thomas Jefferson University from AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cumberland Pharmaceuticals and Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has received honoraria/consulting fees from AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Salix Pharmaceuticals, and Trevena, Inc. Editorial assistance was provided by M Morren of Peloton Advantage, LLC, and supported by Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.