Penthrox Is an Effective Analgesic but Is It Patient Approved?

Background Penthrox is a handheld inhaler that administers methoxyflurane. Its use is approved for analgesia in moderate-to-severe trauma-related pain in adults in the ED. The literature currently lacks methodologically robust qualitative data on individual patient experiences. Using a structured qualitative study, we set out to address this shortcoming. Methods Five patients were selected as a focus group to identify key themes they felt were important to explore, and these were included in the questionnaire design. We retrospectively identified all uses of Penthrox in the ED from June to August 2021. Qualitative data was gathered using the Trickett short interview method, and responses were grouped into positive and negative descriptors. In addition, quantitative data concerning their experience using the 5-point Likert scale was also gathered. Results A total of 101 participants responded to the questionnaire. Penthrox was utilised mainly for the manipulation of fractures, most commonly those of the ankle and wrist. Around 90% reported an overall satisfaction of ≥ good, and 97% reported the ease of use to be ≥ good. Its analgesic effectiveness was rated as excellent by 52%, and ≥ good by 89%. The most reported side effects were drowsiness (13%) and nausea (7%). The majority reported no side effects (74%). About 94% of the participants said they would take it again if required. An NVivo word cloud (Lumivero, Denver, CO, USA) was created visually, confirming an overall positive experience amongst the patients. Conclusions This study shows that Penthrox is a well-tolerated and user-friendly means of alleviating trauma-related pain in the ED. It highlights the importance of taking into consideration the individual patient journey alongside robust evidence-based data on safety and efficacy for the development of a holistic treatment.