Intraoperative fentanyl in endoscopic procedures and their impact on postanesthesia care unit (PACU) time and costs
Authors' conclusion
Intraoperative fentanyl increases PACU duration by approximately 4 min per patient in endoscopies, without markedly improving pain management.
Study context
- Population
- Outpatients undergoing upper/lower endoscopy, 2020–2022
- Participants
- 11,488 outpatients
- Exposure
- Intraoperative fentanyl vs no fentanyl
- Fentanyln = 5,787
- Outcome
- PACU duration
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Median PACU time
P < 0.01
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Postoperative pain score > 5
No pain post-surgery
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Fentanyl receipt in long PACU stay (> 50 min) vs shorter stay | P < 0.01 |
| NRS pain > 5, long vs shorter PACU stay | P < 0.01 |
- Fentanyl receipt in long PACU stay (> 50 min) vs shorter stay — Long PACU stay (> 50 min)
- 5225 (45.5%)
- Fentanyl receipt in long PACU stay (> 50 min) vs shorter stay: Long stay 56.3%
- Fentanyl receipt in long PACU stay (> 50 min) vs shorter stay: Shorter stay 45.4%
- Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain > 5, long vs shorter PACU stay: Long stay 3.6%
- NRS pain > 5, long vs shorter PACU stay: Shorter stay 1.2%
Postoperative pain score > 5
- Fentanyl did not significantly reduce postoperative pain
No pain post-surgery
- Fentanyl recipients did not have shorter PACU stays within any pain scale category
Costs (financial simulation)
- Annual saving with fentanyl-free anaesthesia, at least
- US $100,308
Original publication
Intraoperative fentanyl in endoscopic procedures and their impact on PACU time and costs. Perioper Med (Lond). Published 20 March 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →