This study evaluates the use of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel), a long-acting local anesthetic, for peri-procedural pain control in patients undergoing interventional radiology (IR) procedures. Effective pain management during and after IR procedures is important for patient comfort, procedural success, and recovery, yet standard local anesthetics (e.g., lidocaine or bupivacaine HCl) provide relatively short durations of analgesia.
Liposomal bupivacaine is an FDA-approved formulation designed to provide extended-release local anesthetic effects over a prolonged period. Its use has been studied in surgical settings, but data in interventional radiology procedures remain limited. This prospective, single-arm quality improvement initiative aims to assess whether incorporation of liposomal bupivacaine into routine procedural care improves patient-reported pain outcomes.
Adult patients undergoing IR procedures will receive liposomal bupivacaine administered by the proceduralist as part of standard care. Pain will be assessed using a structured patient-reported outcome survey at multiple time points, including pre-procedure, during the procedure, 1 hour post-procedure, and within 24 hours post-procedure. The survey also captures use of additional analgesic medications within the first 24 hours.
The primary outcome is patient-reported pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include post-procedural analgesic utilization. Data will be analyzed descriptively given the exploratory nature and small sample size.
Findings from this project may inform future approaches to pain management in interventional radiology and help determine whether longer-acting local anesthetics provide clinically meaningful improvements in patient experience.
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chronic pain condition