Liposomal Bupivacaine Versus Bupivacaine With Fascia Iliaca Blockade for Perioperative Pain Management During Hip Arthroscopy: A Double-Blinded Prospective Randomized Control Trial

This study is a double-blinded prospective randomized control trial. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the liposomal bupivacaine group versus bupivacaine alone. Randomization assignment will be determined using a computer program based on random number generation, with an equal number of treatments in blocks of 2, 4, and 6 patients. The order of the blocks will be randomized as well. Treatment assignments will be concealed in sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelopes (SNOSE). The anesthesia provider administering the medication will not be an investigator of this study and will be allowed to know what medication that is administered to ensure safety with regards to any potential medication interactions the study medication may have with any other medication or anesthesia provided during the operation. This study will be double blinded by having the associate investigator (anesthesia resident/fellow) that will be conducting the post-operative pain score, Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) evaluations, un-aware of which medication each patient received during the fascial iliac regional soft tissue infiltration blockade. The anesthesia resident/fellow will remain blinded to which medication the patient received by not having access to the patients electronic medical record, did not participate in the procedure, and will not have access to the database created by the orthopaedics residents where this information will be entered. The treating surgeons will also be blinded to which medication was administered by not being present during the randomization process and will only be made aware of which medication the patient received after the final two-week postoperative pain assessment and oral pain medication pill count, after which patient study participation will be concluded. The success of blinding will be evaluated by asking the patient, anesthesia resident/fellow and treating surgeon to guess their treatment assignment the day of surgery, during the pain score collection process and at the final two-week routine follow up appointment.