TY - JOUR T1 - Transdermal Therapeutic Fentanyl-System (TTS-F) JF - In Vivo JO - In Vivo SP - 633 LP - 642 VL - 18 IS - 5 AU - KYRIAKI MYSTAKIDOU AU - EMMANUELA KATSOUDA AU - ELENI TSILIKA AU - EFI PARPA AU - LAMBROS VLAHOS Y1 - 2004/09/01 UR - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/18/5/633.abstract N2 - Fentanyl, a surgical analgesic and general anaesthetic, is a lipophilic short-acting synthetic opioid, having a selective potent effect on mu receptors. The transdermal therapeutic fentanyl-system (TTS-F) allows for a continued and sustained titratable amount of fentanyl to be delivered without the inconvenience of the typical 24-h administration of other analgesics. Although incidences of respiratory depression led to TTS-F being contraindicated for postoperative analgesia, it is currently undergoing Phase III trials for nociceptive, neuropathic and chronic moderate to severe pain in a variety of settings. It demonstrates a slow pharmacokinetic profile and incidences of breakthrough pain may still require rapid analgesia, for which intravenous and bolus administration of rapid acting opioids remain ‘gold standard’. However, TTS-F is finding uses for chronic pain of cancer origin where it offers a solution for step 3-pain (WHO) management on the WHO analgesic ladder. More recent data indicates that TTS-F is not only effective for neuropathic but also nociceptive non-cancer and cancer pain alike. This review presents an overview of the synthesis, delivery, pharmacokinetics, toxicity and clinical pharmacology of the transdermal delivery of fentanyl. Copyright © 2004 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved ER -