title: The effect of local anesthetics on bacterial proliferation: TAC versus lidocaine.
abstract: We compared the effect of topical 0.5% tetracaine, 1:2,000 epinephrine, and 11.8% cocaine (TAC) with 1% lidocaine infiltration on bacterial proliferation in experimental lacerations. Forty-eight lacerations were made on the backs of Hampshire pigs, inoculated by injection with infectious doses of Staphylococcus aureus and randomly anesthetized with either topical TAC or lidocaine infiltration. Wounds were sutured, and quantitative cultures were obtained by excision after 48 hours. The mean log10 bacteria per gram of tissue for wounds anesthetized with TAC was 6.818 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.07 to 7.54) compared with 6.820 (95% CI, 5.91 to 7.75) for those treated with lidocaine; this difference was not significant (P less than .05 by paired two-tailed t test). The probability of failing to detect an intergroup difference of 0.5 log10 bacteria per gram was less than .0001. TAC does not increase bacterial proliferation more than lidocaine infiltration in contaminated experimental porcine lacerations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doezema
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tandberg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Umland
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013748:Tetracaine; C034627:TEC solution; D008012:Lidocaine; D003042:Cocaine; D004837:Epinephrine