Clinical and Health Economic Outcomes With Liposomal Bupivacaine

This study is a technical report evaluating the impact of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) on healthcare utilization and opioid use in Medicare-insured patients undergoing outpatient total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). The objective is to assess the effects of LB on healthcare costs and opioid consumption for up to 12 months post-surgery. The study utilizes retrospective data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) database, focusing on adults who underwent TSA between January 2019 and December 2021. A total of 4,100 patients were analyzed, divided into LB and non-LB groups based on the use of LB during or after the procedure. Results indicate that patients receiving LB had lower total healthcare costs and reduced opioid use compared to those not receiving LB. The findings suggest that LB may contribute to more effective pain management and lower healthcare expenditures in the outpatient TSA setting.