A Review of Sublingual Sufentanil Tablet (SST) and its Utility as an Analgesic Agent for Pain Procedures

Abstract

Purpose of Review Sedation for pain medicine procedures provides a unique challenge for proceduralists. Many patients dealing with pain are on chronic opioids and require higher doses of sedation for adequate procedural comfort. Chronic pain patients have various comorbidities including depression, neuropsychiatric disorders, peripheral vascular disease, and renal impairment, among others [ 1 ]. These confounding variables make the overall treatment of their pain condition much more challenging. Recent Findings For patients requiring intravenous (IV) sedation for their pain procedures, the constant need for access may render them a “difficult stick” over time. Another factor to consider is the increasing requirements by the hospital system needing IV sedatives and analgesics in the intensive care unit and operating rooms during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Summary Sublingual sufentanil (SST) provides an excellent analgesic option for patients undergoing interventional pain procedures. The use of SST allows hospitals to preserve IV agents for more critical areas and mitigates the difficulty of obtaining IV access in patients.

Time to Reconsider Analgesia in Mass Casualty Incidents

“…Its large therapeutic index, in addition to previously cited characteristics, makes it an interesting candidate for prehospital analgesia. 26 For the moment, no studies have evaluated its use in prehospital analgesia, but with further experience, sublingual sufentanil might become a useful drug for prehospital analgesia in the mass casualty setting. The optimal dose for use in this setting is to be determined.…”