Incidence and severity of short-term incisional complications after intraoperative local infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To report the incidence of short-term incisional complications in dogs receiving intraoperative local infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS Client-owned dogs (n = 218). METHODS Medical records were searched for dogs whose surgical site was infiltrated with liposomal bupivacaine. Records were reviewed for complications within 20 days postoperatively. Cases were categorized by: (1) surgical wound classification (clean, clean-contaminated, contaminated); (2) labeled versus off-label use in orthopedic surgery - stifle surgery to address cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease versus other orthopedic procedures; and (3) orthopedic versus soft-tissue surgery. RESULTS Complications were documented in 43/218 (19.7%) records, including 27/218 (12.4%) complications that resolved spontaneously or with topical treatment. The incidence of short-term incisional complications did not differ between surgical wound classifications (P = 0.55) or between labeled versus off-label use in orthopedic surgery (P = 0.21). Complications seemed more common after soft-tissue procedures (32/123; 26.0%) than orthopedic procedures (11/95; 11.6%) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Surgical wound classification or type of orthopedic procedure did not seem to influence incisional complications of infiltrated surgical sites. Complications were more common after soft-tissue procedures than orthopedic procedures. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Infiltration of surgical sites with liposomal bupivacaine seems safe in a broader range of orthopedic procedures than currently labeled. The results also justify further investigation in soft-tissue surgery.