Effectiveness of Intranasal Versus Intravenous Fentanyl in Preterm and Term Newborns for Pain Prevention

Neonatal intensive care unit patients undergoes many painful procedures during their hospitalization. Effective pain control in such procedures as intubation, catheterization, central line insertion, chest tube insertion, etc. is an important part of treatment. Opioids administration is a common practice for acute pain prevention. Fentanyl is the preferred opioid due to it rapid onset and short duration of action.

Fentanyl may be given intravenously, transcutaneous transmucosal and intranasal. Intranasal administration is practiced for about 20 years. A rich vascular supply in a nose provides rapid absorption of the drug. This uninvasive root is now popular for pain prevention and treatment. There are about 20 trials with intranasal fentanyl administration to children from 6 month old to 18 years. The investigators did not find information about this way of administration in neonates.

In our pilot study the investigators want to check if intranasal administration of fentanyl is safe and effective in pain prevention in term and preterm neonates during invasive procedures and to compare it with intravenous route of administration.