New long-lasting painkiller may cut opioid use after foot surgery

NCT ID NCT05494645

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: St. Luke's Hospital, Pennsylvania Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether a long-acting painkiller called Exparel (liposomal bupivacaine) works better than the standard version for numbing the foot and ankle during and after surgery. About 248 adults having elective foot or ankle surgery received either Exparel or standard bupivacaine in a nerve block. Researchers measured how long the block lasted and how many opioid pain pills patients needed by day four after surgery.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Exparel (liposomal bupivacaine)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could mean better pain control and less need for opioid pills after foot or ankle surgery.
What could go wrong: This is a single-center Phase 4 trial with 248 participants, so results may not apply to all patients or surgeries. The benefit over standard bupivacaine may be small or absent.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Ankle Fractures ankle injury disease Pain, Postoperative

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANKLE FRACTURES ANKLE INJURIES AND DISORDERS PAIN, ACUTE POSTOPERATIVE PAIN, POSTOPERATIVE

Contacts and locations

Locations

St. Luke's University Health Network

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 18015, United States

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