the post-op catheters
and pumps, but insur-
ance is rarely covering
the costs," says Larry S.
Goldstein, DPM, medical
director or Riverside
Surgical Center in
Macon, Ga.
A Washington, D.C.,
surgeon ticks off a list of
hurdles: "We have no
induction room, monitor-
ing, or assistant staff to
provide regional anes-
thesia efficiently and without slowing down the OR schedule."
But among those who say they don't regularly rely on regional, most
say they prefer infiltration, representing another move away from opi-
oids.
Infiltrating the market
In fact, peripheral blocks (91% of respondents) and infiltration (86%)
are both hugely popular choices among all respondents.
Delving deeper, those who use infiltration are overwhelmingly
opting for standard bupivacaine (80%), rather than the considerably
more expensive liposomal version.
"I used Exparel on many patients and had minimal success," says
Dr. Goldstein.
"I tried to get Exparel in the facilities I'm on staff at, but no one
wanted to pay for it," says Dr. Blank. "Now, with recent literature
showing that it's not what it purports to be, I don't try anymore."
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 2 3
• SOUND THE ALARM Some providers may still be prescribing extended-release opioid
products for acute pain, despite their having been linked to respiratory deaths.
