Stability of fentanyl citrate in glass and plastic containers and in a patient-controlled delivery system

This study determined the stability of fentanyl citrate stored in glass or polyvinyl chloride containers and the concentrations of fentanyl citrate delivered by the Janssen on-demand analgesic computer (ODAC) system. Solutions containing 500 micrograms of fentanyl citrate (10 mL) were added to 100-mL three glass containers each of 5% dextrose injection or 0.9% sodium chloride injection and to three 100-mL polyvinyl chloride containers of 5% dextrose injection or 0.9% sodium chloride injection. All containers were stored under usual light conditions and at room temperature. Samples were taken immediately and at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours. To determine the concentration of fentanyl delivered via the ODAC system, fentanyl citrate injection 2500 micrograms (50 mL) was added to a 500-mL polyvinyl chloride bag containing 5% dextrose injection. The solution was connected to the ODAC system, and samples of bolus demand doses were collected at various times during a 30-hour period. All the samples were assayed by a stability-indicating gas-liquid chromatographic method. For both glass and plastic containers, the mean +/- S.D. recovery of fentanyl after 48 hours was 98.6 +/- 2.3% when the drug was diluted in 5% dextrose injection and 97 +/- 1.5% when the drug was diluted in 0.9% sodium chloride injection. There was no significant difference between the amount of fentanyl recovered from glass containers and the amount recovered from polyvinyl chloride containers. Nor was there any significant difference between the amount of fentanyl recovered from solutions containing 5% dextrose injection and the amount recovered from solutions containing 0.9% sodium chloride injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)