FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS - Schedule of Investments at Amortized Cost and Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	$ 222,515
Gross Unrealized Gains	25
Gross Unrealized Losses	(819)
Fair Value (Level 2)	221,721
Current:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	185,233	$ 70,651
Gross Unrealized Gains	23	182
Gross Unrealized Losses	(744)	(2)
Fair Value (Level 2)	184,512	70,831
Noncurrent:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	37,282
Gross Unrealized Gains	2
Gross Unrealized Losses	(75)
Fair Value (Level 2)	37,209
Asset-backed securities \| Current:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	6,836	3,182
Gross Unrealized Gains	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	(3)	0
Fair Value (Level 2)	6,833	3,182
Commercial paper \| Current:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	134,423	57,533
Gross Unrealized Gains	23	80
Gross Unrealized Losses	(386)	(2)
Fair Value (Level 2)	134,060	57,611
Corporate bonds \| Current:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost		9,936
Gross Unrealized Gains		102
Gross Unrealized Losses		0
Fair Value (Level 2)		$ 10,038
U.S. federal agency bonds \| Current:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	41,971
Gross Unrealized Gains	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	(337)
Fair Value (Level 2)	41,634
U.S. federal agency bonds \| Noncurrent:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	22,783
Gross Unrealized Gains	2
Gross Unrealized Losses	(66)
Fair Value (Level 2)	22,719
U.S. Government bonds \| Current:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	2,003
Gross Unrealized Gains	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	(18)
Fair Value (Level 2)	1,985
U.S. Government bonds \| Noncurrent:
Fair Value Measurements
Cost	14,499
Gross Unrealized Gains	0
Gross Unrealized Losses	(9)
Fair Value (Level 2)	$ 14,490

Amount, before tax, of unrealized gain in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of unrealized loss in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258926&loc=SL82898722-210454

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258926&loc=SL82898722-210454

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124260329&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=pcrx_LongTermInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryNotesSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: