Journal of Palliative Care & Medicine
Open Access

Research Article

Effectiveness of Atomized Methadone on the Buccal Mucosa in the Last Days of Life: An Innovative Delivery Route When Patients Can No Longer Swallow

¹Dalhousie University, St. Martha's Regional Hospital, Chronic pain and Palliative care, Canada

²St. Martha's regional Hospital, Canada

*Corresponding Author:

Maureen Ann Allen
Assistant Professor Dalhousie University, St. Martha's Regional Hospital
Chronic pain and Palliative care, Antigonish, Nova Scotia B2G 2M5, Canada
Tel: 902 870-0853
E-mail: jimandmoe@eastlink.ca

Received date: January 21, 2016, Accepted date: February 15, 2016, Published date: February 19, 2016

Citation: Allen MA, MacDougall R, Murphy M, Robertson S (2016) Effectiveness of Atomized Methadone on the Buccal Mucosa in the Last Days of Life: An Innovative Delivery Route When Patients Can No Longer Swallow. J Palliat Care Med 6:250. doi:10.4172/2165-7386.1000250

Copyright: © 2016 Allen MA, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Background: Methadone is an effective long acting opioid analgesic used to manage nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Its unique lipophilic properties, absence of active metabolites and high volume of distribution allows for delivery routes that are distinct and innovative enabling patients uninterrupted and effective pain control in the last days of life. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness and ease of administration of atomized methadone solution on the buccal mucosa when alternative routes including rectal and sublingual were seen as less desirable by families and health care providers in patients in the last days of life who could no longer swallow medications. Methods: The charts of thirty patients who took methadone solution at the end of life were retrospectively reviewed and data collected regarding the various transmucosal delivery routes used. Satisfaction questionnaires were completed by families and health care providers after death looking at the effectiveness of pain control and ease of administration when methadone solution was given sublingual, rectal or atomized on the buccal mucosa. Conclusion: All 30 patients remained on methadone solution until their death. Of the twenty-two patients (73%) who had methadone solution atomized buccally, one was switched to rectal administration due to bitter taste and one to sublingual due to family preference. All families surveyed reported that methadone solution was effective in controlling pain and easy to administer.

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