Effectiveness of premedication protocol using intravenous fentanyl to reduce pain associated with femoral artery closure device placement

Aim To test the effectiveness of a premedication protocol using intravenous bolus of 100 μg fentanyl to reduce pain associated with femoral artery closure device placement for neuro-endovascular procedures. Materials and methods The severity of pain associated with femoral artery closure device placement was analysed using a numerical rating scale score ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (most severe pain) in two cohorts of consecutive adult patients ( n =118), those who were ( n =64) or were not ( n =54) treated with premedication protocol. The primary endpoints were the proportion of patients with excellent (score ≤1) and failed pain control (score ≥8). Stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the effect of premedication on pain control after adjustment for potential confounders. Results The median numerical pain rating score at femoral artery closure device placement was significantly lower in patients treated with premedication protocol compared with those who underwent closure without premedication (1 versus 5, p p p Conclusion Premedication with intravenous fentanyl injection prior to femoral artery closure device placement can reduce the intensity of pain associated with closure.