Pain reduction of topical sevoflurane vs intravenous opioids in pressure ulcers.

Recently, it has been reported that topical irrigations of liquid sevoflurane on the bed of painful wounds produce a rapid, intense, and lasting analgesic effect. In this paper, A cohort of 112 patients with painful pressure ulcers who were refractory to opioids (or who exhibited undesirable adverse events to them) was treated with topical sevoflurane as per local institutional policy. These patients were recruited from an intensive care unit for a period of 3 years.

Palliative analgesia with topical sevoflurane in cancer-related skin ulcers: a case report.

A Caucasian 39-year-old male patient with a poorly-differentiated infiltrating epidermoid penile carcinoma with urethral invasion was diagnosed. The patient received concomitant adjuvant chemotherapy with radiotherapy in the palliative setting, which produced painful ulceration of tumour lesions at loco-regional level (Numerical Rate Scale, NRS=9). The patient consented for treatment with direct topical sevoflurane instillations, at initial doses of 1 mL/cm of ulcerated area, as per unit protocol.

Efficacy and safety of topical sevoflurane in the treatment of chronic skin ulcers.

Purpose: Results of efficacy and safety assessments of topical sevoflurane use in patients with long-term treatment-refractory vascular ulcers are reported.

Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive sevoflurane instillations (1 mL per cm of ulcer area 1-4 times daily) plus standard wound care (ulcer cleaning, debridement, and dressing changes) or standard care only. Topical sevoflurane was initiated during hospitalization, with self- or nurse-administered instillations continued after discharge.