Evolving Trends and Core Contributors: A Bibliometric Update on Liposomal Bupivacaine

This study aims to examine the academic output, key research hotspots, collaborative networks, and trends in liposomal bupivacaine research using bibliometric methods. By providing a broad overview, we seek to clarify the knowledge structure and emerging trends in its clinical applications in perioperative analgesia.

We searched the Web of Science Core Collection database on November 4, 2025, to find relevant articles and reviews. Analytical tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to evaluate publication years, countries/regions, institutions, journals, highly cited literature, terms, collaboration networks, and cocitation clusters.

The dataset comprised 1,069 valid publications from 101 countries/regions, involving 3,256 institutions and 13,736 authors. The annual publication output grew slowly before 2015, increased rapidly after 2016, and reached a peak in 2021. The United States (US) was the leading contributor with 775 publications, followed by China with 155 publications. The Harvard University System and the University of Texas System were identified as central research institutions. Journal of Arthroplasty published the largest number of articles, while Anesthesia and Analgesia recorded the highest average citations per article. Term co-occurrence and burst analyses identified four major research clusters: formulation and pharmacological foundations, safety considerations, procedure-specific analgesia, and emerging regional anesthesia techniques. Recent research hotspots included erector spinae plane block, thoracic surgery, and paravertebral block, indicating a shift toward novel nerve block applications and complex surgical scenarios.

Research on liposomal bupivacaine has evolved from formulation development to a clinically oriented field with strong interdisciplinary integration and expanding procedural applications. The US remained the leading contributor to global research and collaboration. These findings provide a structured overview of the evolving evidence base and might help guide future procedure-specific research and perioperative analgesia strategies.