POST-SURGICAL PAIN TREATMENT

1 . A method for treating post-surgical pain in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a NK-1 receptor antagonist in combination with a pain medication.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the post-surgical pain is not neuropathic.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist is selected from aprepitant, rolapitant, netupitant, lanepitant, vestipitant, orvepitant maleate, casopitant, ezlopitant, serlopitant, fosaprepitant, befetupitant and maropitant, and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pain medication is selected from local anesthetics, opioids, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), anticonvulsants, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), acetaminophen, and tricyclic antidepressants.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist is aprepitant.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pain medication is a local anesthetic and a NSAID.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the local anesthetic is selected from bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, ropivacaine, etidocaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, and tetracaine.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the local anesthetic is bupivacaine or ropivacaine.

9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the NSAID is selected from the group consisting of diflunisal, indomethacin, tolmetin, sulindac, etodolac, ketorolac, diclofenac, nabumetone, ibuprofen, dexibuprofen, naproxen, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, dexketoprofen, flurbiprofen, oxaprozin, loxoprofen, mefenamic acid, meclofenamic acid, flufenamic acid, tolfenamic acid, meloxicam, piroxicam, tenoxicam, droxicam, lornoxicam, isoxicam, celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib, such as meloxicam.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist and pain medication are administered during the surgery.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist and pain medication are administered after the surgery.

12 . The method of claim 1 , comprising administering the NK-1 receptor antagonist after surgery and the pain medication during surgery.

13 . The method of claim 1 , comprising administering the NK-1 receptor antagonist prior to surgery and daily after surgery for 1-6 days.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising administering the NK-1 receptor antagonist prior to surgery and daily after surgery for 1-6 days and administering the pain medication during surgery.

15 . The method of claim 1 , comprising administering the NK-1 receptor antagonist and NSAID prior to the surgery and administering the local anesthetic during the surgery.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist is administered in the form of an injectable emulsion comprising:

a NK-1 receptor antagonist;

11 wt/wt % to 15 wt/wt % of an emulsion;

an oil;

a co-surfactant which comprises an alcohol;

a tonicity agent;

a pH modifier; and

water;

wherein the pH of the emulsion ranges from about 7.5 to 9.0.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pain medication is administered in the form of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a delivery system, a local anesthetic, and a NSAID.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the local anesthetic is bupivacaine and NSAID is meloxicam, and wherein bupivacaine and meloxicam are present in the composition at a ratio ranging from about 15:1 to 50:1.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist and NSAID is administered in the form of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a delivery system, the NK-1 receptor antagonist and NSAID.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the local anesthetic is administered in the form of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a delivery system and the local anesthetic.

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the the NK-1 receptor antagonist and NSAID are administered systemically and the local anesthetic is administered locally.

22 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a caine type local anesthetic, NK-1 receptor antagonist, a NSAID, and a delivery vehicle.

23 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a caine type local anesthetic, NK-1 receptor antagonist, and a delivery vehicle.

24 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising an NSAID, NK-1 receptor antagonist, and a delivery vehicle.

25 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein the caine type local anesthetic is selected from bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, ropivacaine, etidocaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, and tetracaine.

26 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein the NSAID is selected from the group consisting of diflunisal, indomethacin, tolmetin, sulindac, etodolac, ketorolac, diclofenac, nabumetone, ibuprofen, dexibuprofen, naproxen, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, dexketoprofen, flurbiprofen, oxaprozin, loxoprofen, mefenamic acid, meclofenamic acid, flufenamic acid, tolfenamic acid, meloxicam, piroxicam, tenoxicam, droxicam, lornoxicam, isoxicam, celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib, such as meloxicam.

27 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein the NK-1 receptor antagonist is selected from aprepitant, rolapitant, netupitant, lanepitant, vestipitant, orvepitant maleate, casopitant, ezlopitant, serlopitant, fosaprepitant, befetupitant and maropitant, and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

28 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein the delivery vehicle comprises a polyorthoester of formula (I).

29 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein the weight ratio of the caine type local anesthetic:NK-1 receptor antagonist ranges from 1:1 to 60:1.

30 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 29 , wherein the weight ratio of the caine type local anesthetic:NK-1 receptor antagonist ranges from 1:1 to 5:1.

31 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , comprising aprepitant, bupivacaine, meloxicam, and a polyorthoester of formula (I).

32 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein the composition further comprising an aprotic solvent.

33 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 32 , wherein the aprotic solvent is selected from DMSO, NMP, and DMAC.

34 . A method for treating post-surgical pain in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 .

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the surgical site.