Towards a pain-free venepuncture.
A randomised, prospective trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of various means of alleviating the pain of subcutaneous lidocaine infiltration. One hundred and twenty-two patients were randomly allocated to different groups to receive buffered lidocaine 1%, warmed lidocaine 1% or infiltration by the counter-irritation technique. A visual analogue pain score was recorded at different stages of cannulation and results showed that pain scores were significantly lower in the group receiving buffered lidocaine 1% (p < 0.02) and in the counter-irritation group (p < 0.05). Thus buffering lidocaine 1% and administration of lidocaine 1% by the counter-irritation technique is effective in relieving the pain of lidocaine infiltration.
Ong
E L
EL
Changi General Hospital, Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical Intensive Care, 2 Simei Street 3, Singapore 529889.
Lim
N L
NL
Koay
C K
CK
D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine