Open Access

HOW I DO IT

How I Do It: Penthrox in Urology

Roseanne Ferreira¹, Kevin C. Zorn², Naeem Bhojani², Bilal Chughtai³, Dean S. Elterman⁴

1 Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
2 University of Montreal Hospital Center, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
3 Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York Presbyterian, New York, New York, USA
4 Division of Urology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address correspondence to Dr. Dean S. Elterman, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst Street, MP-8-317, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8 Canada

Canadian Journal of Urology 2023, 30(1), 11448-11452.

Abstract

Penthrox is a portable handheld inhaler that delivers a low dose of methoxyflurane - an anesthetic with analgesic effects, rapid onset of action, and a favorable side-effect profile. It has been widely used for acute pain management in Australia for the past 40 years. Currently, it is approved for use in over 55 countries, including Canada. Prospective randomized studies highlight Penthrox analgesic effectiveness and safety profile for emergency, prehospital and outpatient settings. In addition, the use of multimodal analgesia, specifically Penthrox, can play an important role in the analgesic management of urological procedures, such as prostatic biopsies and office-based minimally invasive surgical therapies. Herein readers will familiarize themselves with Penthrox, significant studies, and technique used for outpatient urological procedures.

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