Fentanyl transdermal patch as a common topical painkiller, there are many details in the use of the process has not been paid attention to, the following is a careful introduction to the use of fentanyl transdermal patch.
1, skin preparation
Fentanyl transdermal patch should be attached to the trunk (chest, back) or upper arm will not be exposed to sunlight can avoid frequent friction on the surface of the flat skin. If the patch is used on a hairy area, the excess hair should be cut off with scissors first. Wash the skin with water and dry it before applying the patch.
Note:
Cutting the hair is to avoid the hair sticking to the surface of the patch release, reducing the contact area between the skin and the patch, resulting in a lower amount of medication absorbed by the skin, so you can't use a razor or other close to the skin to eliminate it, just need to be cut off close to the skin. Shaving can cause skin damage and lead to increased fentanyl absorption, resulting in adverse consequences such as drug overdose.
No soap, oils, lotions, or other types of skin cleansers should be used to clean the skin. Avoid scrubbing the skin with a washcloth or other cleaning products. These supplies, which irritate the skin and may change the skin's properties, can interfere with the rate of absorption of the medication into the skin and affect the pain relief.
2. Remove the patch
Observing the appearance of the single-piece package of fentanyl transdermal patch, you can see a pre-cut incision on the back side, near the edge of the seal (pointed to by the black arrow, labeled "Tear from here! ").
Fold the indentation along the horizontal line of the cut, and the package can be easily torn open by following the indentation from the cut.
Or use scissors to cut along the horizontal line of the cut (dotted line shown in Figure 1).
Note:
Cutting with scissors is not recommended for first time use. If scissors must be used, it must not be cut below the level of the incision shown. Because the transdermal patch is placed in a fixed position, cutting too far down will cut into the patch, disrupting the integrity of the patch and affecting the rate of drug release.
Flip the pocket open like a book and remove the patch by unwrapping the pouch further along the sides.
3. Apply to skin
The protective film of the patch is cut in the middle by a wavy line, fold the patch outward along the cut line and remove one side of the protective film;
Remove one half of the protective film
Apply the removed half to the skin, compact the edges and corners, and then remove the other side of the protective film, press firmly with the palm of your hand for 30s to ensure that the patch and the skin are secure. Press firmly with the palm of your hand for 30s to ensure that the patch and skin are completely adhered to each other, paying particular attention to the corners. Wash your hands with water after applying the patch.
Remove the other side of the protective film
Transdermal patches continue to work for 72 hours
Note:
Fentanyl patches should not be heated with hot water bags, electric blankets, warm babies and other heating devices to heat the patches, to avoid the surface of the skin heating caused by direct sunlight, and should be contacted by a doctor to consider discontinuing the patch. Consider discontinuing the use of the patch. Elevated skin temperatures in contact with the patch can lead to faster drug release, increasing the risk of overdose in a short period of time.
4, the disposal of the waste patch
72 hours, remove the waste patch, the skin contact with the adhesive side of the punch inward folded, put back to the original bag, and then wash your hands with water.
Disposal of the waste stickers
Waste stickers are collected uniformly, to be the next time you go to the pharmacy to pick up the medicine, the waste stickers will be returned uniformly, not to be disposed of on their own.
Recycling of used patches
Note:
There is still drug residue on the patches after 72 hours of use, so they should not be left unattended and should be disposed of properly according to the above requirements in order to avoid causing harm to other people who may come into contact with them.
5, unused patches
If, for example, there are unused fentanyl patches no longer in use for various reasons such as medication change, in accordance with the "Provisions on the Management of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of the First Class in Medical Institutions," Article 30 (Healthcare [2005] No. 438), the family members are asked to return to the Office of the Drug Dispenser at no cost for unified registration and destruction.