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What a Waste: Perioperative Fentanyl Wastage at a Pediatric Hospital

Andrew T Waberski1, Jessica Cronin1, Benjamin Hammer2

  • 1Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine (ATW, JC, EH), Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC.

The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics : JPPT : the Official Journal of PPAG
|March 4, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Significant amounts of intravenous (IV) fentanyl are wasted in pediatric perioperative care. This study quantifies wastage and suggests solutions to reduce financial, environmental, and supply-chain issues.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • Intravenous (IV) fentanyl is a commonly used opioid analgesic in pediatric perioperative settings.
  • Medication wastage presents significant financial, environmental, and supply-chain challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the extent of IV fentanyl wastage during the perioperative period in a pediatric hospital.
  • To identify potential areas for reducing medication waste.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of electronic health records.
  • Calculation of wasted IV fentanyl volumes based on charting data.

Main Results:

  • Significant wastage of IV fentanyl was observed in the perioperative period.
  • The study quantifies the economic and environmental impact of this wastage.

Conclusions:

  • There is a substantial amount of IV fentanyl waste in pediatric perioperative care.
  • Developing alternative medication formulations could mitigate financial, environmental, and supply-chain complications associated with fentanyl wastage.

Keywords:
COVID-19fentanylopioidpediatricperioperativeshortagewaste

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