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Background and Aims Postoperative pain management remains a critical challenge. Opioids have been commonly used for postoperative pain management in various surgeries. However, their adverse effects, including dependency and addiction, have led researchers to seek alternative pain relief methods, such as multimodal analgesia. Liposomal bupivacaine is a component of multimodal regimens that encapsulates local anesthetic in multivesicular liposomes, potentially providing consistent pain relief for up to 72 hours. This investigation aims to evaluate the effectiveness of liposomal bupivacaine in reducing opioid use and related adverse effects in patients undergoing surgery.

Methods The efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine in postoperative patients remains relatively unexplored. This review examined the literature, focusing on investigations of its use in postoperative patient populations.

Results The findings yielded mixed results. Some reports found no significant difference in postoperative pain scores within the first few days, while others reported lower pain scores on the day of surgery. Postoperative narcotic consumption assessment revealed no significant difference between the control group and the liposomal bupivacaine-treated group in some cases.

Conclusions Interpretation of the available data is challenging due to significant variability in study design and comparison groups. Prospective, randomized clinical trials are needed to fully assess liposomal bupivacaine’s efficacy in postoperative patients. Clinicians should critically evaluate the existing data before implementing liposomal bupivacaine widely and continue to emphasize opioid-minimizing pain management strategies. In conclusion, liposomal bupivacaine offers a promising alternative for postoperative pain management in elective surgeries. Future research should focus on optimizing its use and assessing its cost-effectiveness to maximize patient outcomes and satisfaction.