“This Was Night and Day”: A Surgeon’s Strategy for Smoother Recovery

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Each year, millions of Americans undergo orthopedic procedures like shoulder and knee surgeries to relieve pain and restore movement. For many patients, the biggest challenge comes when they leave the operating room, as orthopedic surgeries are often associated with severe post-operative pain. Until recently, many of my patients would wake up in the middle of the night after their traditional nerve block wore off. Suddenly in pain and playing catch-up with medication, they experienced high stress, delayed rehab, and in some cases, dependence on narcotic painkillers.

Unfortunately, this isn’t rare. Studies show that most surgical patients receive opioids, yet 80% still report experiencing extreme pain postoperatively. Clearly, opioids are not always the answer. Their risks are well-documented, from nausea and drowsiness to the possibility of addiction that can actually hinder the recovery process.

A Turning Point in Pain Management

As a surgeon who performs hundreds of shoulder and knee procedures annually, I’ve seen how proper pain control sets the tone for a positive recovery journey. That’s why I’ve incorporated EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension), a long-acting, non-opioid numbing medication, into my practice. Unlike traditional local anesthetics that wear off in 12–24 hours, EXPAREL offers targeted pain relief for up to three days during the most critical period after surgery.

For my patients, that means fewer sleepless nights and more confidence in their recovery. A particular case I recall is a patient who had previously undergone a rotator cuff repair without EXPAREL. She was terrified to have her second shoulder repaired because of her experience with rebound pain, nausea, and re-hospitalization. After we used EXPAREL during her second procedure, she described the difference as “night and day,” because she felt more in control and less anxious about whether her pain would be managed properly.

Empowering Recovery Through Early Movement and Fewer Opioids

Pain control isn’t just about comfort – it’s the foundation for a successful recovery. When pain is well-managed, patients aren’t afraid to move early in their recovery and are more likely to engage in physical therapy, maintain mobility, and avoid the setbacks that can accompany immobility or narcotic use.

I tell patients, “You don’t have to regain mobility if you don’t lose it.” With EXPAREL helping to manage pain in the first few days after surgery, most patients can begin passive range-of-motion exercises the very next day.

To support that momentum, we use a multimodal pain management approach that combines EXPAREL with other non-opioid strategies such as ice therapy, stimulation units, and over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. This method allows us to either eliminate opioids entirely or use them sparingly. Patients often require just a few pills, if any, and are rarely requesting refill prescriptions.

It’s a game-changer for my range of patients, from high school athletes worried about their future to older adults concerned about side effects. When patients aren’t waking up in pain or battling the side effects of opioids like nausea and grogginess, they’re more confident. They trust the process, stay engaged in their rehab, and start to feel like themselves again, faster.

Take Control of Your Pain Management

Whether you're preparing for your first surgery or returning for a second, pain management should be part of the plan from the start. The right approach can mean the difference between a difficult recovery and one that feels manageable and empowering. Witnessing a transformation in patient outcomes and satisfaction with EXPAREL has encouraged me to continue advocating for non-opioid options that allow them to get back to their lives sooner after surgery.

If you or a loved one is planning for an upcoming surgical procedure, take the time to discuss pain management with your care team. Ask about non-opioid options like EXPAREL and how they can support a smoother, more confident recovery. Because the sooner you’re able to rest, move, and rebuild, the sooner you’re back to what matters most.

For more information, visit www.exparel.com/risks.

*This is based on Dr. Gill’s experiences. Individual patient experiences may vary.

Indication

EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) is indicated to produce postsurgical local analgesia via infiltration in patients aged 6 years and older and regional analgesia in adults via an interscalene brachial plexus nerve block, sciatic nerve block in the popliteal fossa, and an adductor canal block. Safety and efficacy have not been established in other nerve blocks.

Important Safety Information

EXPAREL should not be used in obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia.

In studies in adults where EXPAREL was injected into a wound, the most common side effects were nausea, constipation, and vomiting.

In studies in adults where EXPAREL was injected near a nerve, the most common side effects were nausea, fever, headache, and constipation.

In the study where EXPAREL was given to children, the most common side effects were nausea, vomiting, constipation, low blood pressure, low number of red blood cells, muscle twitching, blurred vision, itching, and rapid heartbeat.

EXPAREL can cause a temporary loss of feeling and/or loss of muscle movement. How much and how long the loss of feeling and/or muscle movement depends on where and how much of EXPAREL was injected and may last for up to 5 days.

EXPAREL is not recommended to be used in patients younger than 6 years old for injection into the wound, for patients younger than 18 years old for injection near a nerve, and/or in pregnant women.

Tell your health care provider if you or your child has liver disease, since this may affect how the active ingredient (bupivacaine) in EXPAREL is eliminated from the body.

EXPAREL should not be injected into the spine, joints, or veins.

The active ingredient in EXPAREL can affect the nervous system and the cardiovascular system; may cause an allergic reaction; may cause damage if injected into the joints; and can cause a rare blood disorder.

Full Prescribing Information is available at https://www.exparel.com/prescribing-information.pdf

For more information, please visit www.EXPAREL.com or call 1-855-793-9727.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

This article is sponsored by Pacira BioSciences, Inc., manufacturer of EXPAREL.

PP-EX-US-10078 5/25

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