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Nasal Spray Offers Rapid Pain Relief for Kids
29 Sep
Summary
- Nasal spray combines sufentanil and ketamine for rapid pain relief.
- Eighty-eight percent of children reported less pain within 30 minutes.
- This spray provides an effective, injection-free option for pediatric ERs.
A novel nasal spray, combining sufentanil and ketamine, is showing significant promise in quickly alleviating pain for injured children in emergency settings. This new approach aims to address the issue of delayed pain relief, as nearly a third of children with moderate to severe pain do not receive adequate treatment within the recommended 15 to 20 minutes. The combination drug nasal spray was administered to 152 children and teens in the UK and Spain during 2024 and 2025, primarily for burns or limb injuries.
Results from the study, presented on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the European Emergency Medicine Congress in Paris, indicate rapid effectiveness. Within 15 minutes, 54% of young patients reported less pain, a figure that rose to 88% by the 30-minute mark. This method offers an injection-free alternative with mild side effects, such as occasional nausea or dizziness, providing a much-needed, simple, and effective option for pediatric emergency care.
