Research trends and hotspots of liposomal bupivacaine: a bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2025

BackgroundPostoperative pain remains a persistent challenge in perioperative care, frequently contributing to delayed patient mobilization, hindered functional recovery, and increased opioid consumption. Liposomal bupivacaine was developed to extend the release duration of local anesthetics following a single-dose administration; however, its clinical utility exhibits considerable variability across surgical procedures, block techniques, and comparator regimens. From a bibliometric perspective, this study aims to systematically investigate the overall developmental trajectory, intellectual structure, and emerging research frontiers of liposomal bupivacaine.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was performed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases for studies on liposomal bupivacaine published between 2000 and 2025. After deduplicating and merging records from both databases using a custom script, the consolidated dataset was analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the Bibliometrix R package.ResultsA total of 3,552 publications were included in this study. The annual publication volume increased markedly between 2020 and 2025, reaching its peak in 2025. In terms of geographical and institutional distribution, the United States dominated the field, ranking first with 2,075 publications and 63,218 total citations; China ranked second with 565 publications, though its international co-authorship rate was only 13.23%. Major contributions were made by leading institutions such as the Mayo Clinic. At the author level, De Paula demonstrated the highest publication output and network betweenness centrality, Urman recorded the highest average citations per paper, and Onel accumulated the highest total citations; collectively, these three scholars constituted the intellectual core of the field with the most prominent contributions. Regarding journal distribution, The Journal of Arthroplasty ranked first in productivity, whereas Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews garnered the highest cumulative citations, reflecting distinct emphases on clinical translation and basic pharmaceutical dissemination, respectively. Co-citation clustering identified five major thematic domains: arthroplasty, liposomal bupivacaine, fascial plane blocks, breast reconstruction, and local anesthetic delivery. “Extended-release bupivacaine” emerged as a core keyword characterized by high occurrence and high centrality. Concurrently, “erector spinae plane block” and “autologous breast reconstruction” have surged rapidly in recent years, demonstrating an ongoing thematic shift toward procedure-specific applications.ConclusionThis study represents the first quantitative bibliometric analysis of liposomal bupivacaine, revealing an evolutionary shift in research focus from early investigations centered on pharmacokinetics and formulation to diversified, procedure-specific clinical applications. Future studies should prioritize expanding international collaborative networks and further exploring emerging techniques, such as fascial plane blocks, across understudied surgical populations. This research roadmap provides directional guidance for investigators, clinicians, and funding agencies alike.