"The data is very good," says Dr. Viscusi, who expects it to be
approved this spring. "It looks as if it could last up to 72 hours."
• Exparel (liposomal bupivacaine suspension) gained FDA
approval in April 2017 for use as an interscalene brachial plexus
regional block during
shoulder arthro-
scopies and rotator
cuff repairs. The local
anesthetic, delivered
as a single-dose injec-
tion at the surgical
site, continues to be a
popular choice
among some orthope-
dic surgeons for limit-
ing post-op pain in
total hip and knee
patients.
Its promised effica-
cy, proponents
acknowledge, relies
on the knowledge
and refined skills of
the practitioner. "With
liposome, if you're
not a good infiltrator
and you don't do very,
very fastidious multi-
ple injections all over
the place, you don't
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