Sufentanil Sublingual Tablet System: from rationale of use to clinical practice

A. Vergari, A. Cortegiani, M. Rispoli, F. Coluzzi, F. Deni, Y. Leykin, F. Luca Lorini, P.P. Martorano, A. Paolicchi, E. Polati, M. Scardino, A. Corcione, A. Giarratano, M. Rossi

Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Toxicology, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. alessandro.vergari@policlinicogemelli.it

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• Pharmacology

The control of post-operative pain in Italy and other western countries is still suboptimal. In recent years, the Sufentanil Sublingual Tablet System (SSTS; Zalviso; AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Redwood City, CA, USA), which is designed for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), has entered clinical practice. SSTS enables patients to manage moderate-to-severe acute pain during the first 72 postoperative hours directly in the hospital setting. However, the role of SSTS within the current framework of options for the management of post-operative pain needs to be better established. This paper presents the position on the use of SSTS of a multidisciplinary group of Italian Experts and provides protocols for the use of this device.

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