Background and Aims ExparelTM, a liposomal bupivacaine formulation, is a long-acting local anesthetic that can provide pain relief after total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) when used for local wound infiltration or peripheral nerve blocks. At the same time, Exparel is a relatively expensive medication, and its use can increase healthcare costs. As population-level trend data remain rare, we aimed to investigate nationwide trends of Exparel use in the United States for THA/TKA.

Methods This study was approved by the institutional review board of the Hospital for Special Surgery (IRB#2012-050). We identified patients from the Premier Healthcare database who underwent elective THA/TKA using a standard set of International Classification of Diseases -ninth/tenth revision codes from 2012 to 2021. We examined the use of Exparel over time at both the patient and hospital levels.

Results Among 103,165 cases, Exparel use increased from 2012 to 2015 (0.36% to 22.8%), and decreased afterward (15.7% in 2021) (table 1). At the hospital level, 599 hospitals (59.7%) ever used Exparel during the study period. In 2013, 30% of hospitals started to initiate Exparel use, and the rate has been decreasing over time (compared to 3.1% hospital initiated Exparel use in 2021). In 2014, hospitals started to terminate Exparel (1.1%); this termination rate increased and peaked in 2019 (9.5%). (figure 1)

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Abstract EP115 Figure 1

Exparel use trends on hospital level

Conclusions The use of Exparel peaked around the year 2014-2015 and has been decreasing afterward. The reason for hospitals stopping Exparel use may be related to recent evidence for its modest efficacy and should be studied further.

Stundner_NoticeOfIRBApproval