Search for a command to run...
OBJECTIVE: Local management of chronic or difficult-to-heal wounds often involves pain. Effective pain management remains challenging for practitioners, as existing treatments may fall short in providing comprehensive relief. Sevoflurane has emerged as a potential local analgesic in wound care. This systematic review sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using sevoflurane as a local analgesic for managing pain in chronic or hard-to-heal wounds. DATA SOURCES: The search encompassed PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, and Cochrane databases. STUDY SELECTION: Inclusion criteria: Studies evaluating the efficacy of sevoflurane as a local analgesic treatment for chronic wounds of any etiology, and research investigating the safety of such treatment. Exclusion criteria: Studies duplicating efficacy and safety outcomes already reported in previous research and grey literature. DATA EXTRACTION: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across major databases yielded 210 publications as of November 10, 2024, of which 21 were selected for analysis. These encompassed various study types, including clinical cases, cohort studies, clinical trials, and reviews. DATA SYNTHESIS: All selected studies consistently demonstrate a significant reduction in pain upon application of sevoflurane, with its anesthetic effect manifesting within minutes and lasting for hours. Reported adverse effects are minimal, primarily comprising mild itching and erythema around the wound site. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for further high-quality research to solidify the efficacy and safety of topically administered sevoflurane. This review underscores the potential of sevoflurane as an effective and safe local analgesic in wound management but emphasizes the importance of more robust evidence to support its clinical use.