Fentanyl Effective Alternative to Anesthesia for ROP Laser Therapy

Data suggests fentanyl used during laser therapy for retinopathy of prematurity is a safe and effective alternative to anesthesia, according to a poster presentation at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting.

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The study examined consecutive preterm neonates undergoing laser treatment of ROP in the neonatal intensive care unit. Twenty-two patients received morphine and 13 received fentanyl, and midazolam was also used when necessary. A change in ventilation status was observed in 45.46 percent of morphine patients and 15.39 percent of fentanyl patients, according to the report.

Apneic events were more common in the morphine group. The data suggests that continuous infusion with fentanyl is safer than morphine for preterm infants undergoing ROP laser therapy in the neonatal ICU.

Read the OSN SuperSite report on fentanyl.

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