title: Evaluation of an amethocaine gel preparation for percutaneous analgesia before venous cannulation in children.
abstract: We have evaluated the efficacy and safety of a preparation of 4% amethocaine gel in alleviating the pain of venous cannulation in children. In an initial open study of 148 children, clinically acceptable anaesthesia was achieved in 92% of cases. The preparation was then compared with 5% EMLA cream in a single-blind study in 94 patients using an application time of 40 min. We found clinically acceptable conditions in 85% of patients receiving amethocaine gel compared with 66% in the EMLA group. There were no significant adverse effects noted in each group, although 37% of those children treated with amethocaine gel showed localized erythema at the application site. The results suggest that amethocaine gel has greater efficacy and a faster onset time than EMLA cream when used for this purpose in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill NHS Trust, Glasgow.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gudgeon
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Morton
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine; D000077442:Lidocaine, Prilocaine Drug Combination; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011318:Prilocaine; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013748:Tetracaine
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005782:Gels; D000077442:Lidocaine, Prilocaine Drug Combination; D009824:Ointments; D011318:Prilocaine; D013748:Tetracaine; D008012:Lidocaine