Pain Control in Bariatric Patients: EXPAREL(R) vs. the On-Q(R) Pain Ball

Overview

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of two local pain control methods in bariatric patients by assessing the amount of postoperative pain and amount of postoperative pain medications needed. This information was used to determine which local anesthetic provided the best pain control.

The investigators have previously utilized the On-Q® pain ball to obtain local control by continuous delivery of bupivacaine to pain fibers at the incision site. On-Q makes use of an implanted catheter and a continuous infusion pump that the patient carries with them typically for 48-72 hours after surgery. EXPAREL is a long-acting liposomal delivery vehicle that extends the life of bupivacaine in the surgical site for up to 72 hours. It can be injected in all trocar sites and offers another potential solution to patient pain control without the need for a catheter and the hardware needed to deliver the local anesthetic. Patient NRS (numerical rating scale) scores for postoperative pain and total medication consumed were used to assess the differences between the two treatment groups.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes