New Virtual Reality Tool Shows Clinicians How to Administer Exparel in TKA

Pacira Pharmaceuticals has introduced a new tool to give clinicians hands-on training to reinforce the recommended technique for administering Exparel (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) based on the infiltration protocol developed as part of an ongoing Phase 4 TKA study. This virtual reality simulation tool will be unveiled at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) in Dallas.

Exparel, an amide local anesthetic, is FDA approved for single-dose infiltration into the surgical site to produce postsurgical analgesia. Exparel should be injected slowly into soft tissues of the surgical site with frequent aspiration to check for blood and minimize the risk of intravascular injection.

As the safety and effectiveness of Exparel depend partly on correct technique, Pacira in partnership with a steering committee of orthopedic surgeons, developed this training tool to ensure the specifics of the infiltration process are captured and that the simulation accurately replicates real-world clinical experience.

In addition, a haptic stylus enables users to experience the sensation of injecting Exparel into varying tissue layers and types. Feedback is then provided to users showing their actual infiltration results versus ideal distribution of Exparel throughout the surgical site.

“In my own practice, I saw increasingly optimized and replicable outcomes with Exparel as I fine-tuned my infiltration technique to include an appropriate volume of solution, the proper multimodal protocol, and a precise injection technique. I am pleased to help share that insight with my colleagues and their patients alike,” said steering committee member Stan Dysart, MD, who is a practicing orthopedic surgeon at Wellstar Kennestone and Pinnacle Orthopaedics in Marietta, GA.

For more information visit Pacira.com