Journal of opioid management
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Review Multicenter Study
The safety and tolerability of the fentanyl HCl iontophoretic transdermal system: an alternative to currently available analgesic modalities.
The patient-controlled fentanyl HCl iontophoretic transdermal system (ITS) is an analgesic modality approved for the management of acute postoperative pain. The fentanyl ITS uses a generally imperceptible electrical field to drive fentanyl across the skin and into the bloodstream. Unlike intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), fentanyl ITS is needle free and preprogrammed, eliminating the risks of needlestick injury and programming errors. Its efficacy, safety, and tolerability were assessed in several clinical trials, and this article presents the integrated safety and tolerability of fentanyl ITS using data pooled from these studies. ⋯ The fentanyl ITS addresses certain safety issues of existing modalities while providing comparable pain relief making it an attractive option for postoperative pain management.