Getting rid of pain following an operation will no longer be a torturous affair, for a new needle-free method of relieving acute pain has been introduced in markets of Germany, Britain and Ireland.
The fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system (IONSYS) will replace needles, pumps, catheters or intravenous pump stands, reducing the risk of needle-stick injuries and infection.The product is being marketed by Janssen- Cilag International NV, and it claims that this method has the ability to make the administration of post- operative pain management a less time-consuming job for healthcare professionals and less intrusive for patients.
With the size of a credit card, it is strapped to a patient's upper outer arm or chest, reports theage.com.au.
By using a nearly imperceptible low-intensity electrical field to rapidly transport doses of fentanyl, a pain-killer, through the skin and into the bloodstream.
Also, it reduces the potential for abuse, as it automatically shuts down after the maximum number of doses has been administered.
The marketing authorisation for IONSYS was given by the European Commission, after clinical trials showed that it is as effective as intravenous PCA morphine for the management of acute post-operative pain.
Advertisement
LIN/K
