Evaluation of a diclofenac transdermal patch for the attenuation of venous cannulation pain: a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Venous cannulation, although a minor procedure, is often painful. The present study was planned to evaluate the efficacy of a diclofenac transdermal patch placed over the venepuncture site in decreasing the pain of cannulation. Seventy-two adults undergoing elective surgery were included in this randomised, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were divided into three equal groups. The Control group had a placebo adhesive patch placed on the both the dorsum of hand and the buttock; the Diclofenac-Buttock group had a placebo patch placed on the dorsum of the hand and a diclofenac transdermal patch on the buttock; the Diclofenac-Hand group had a diclofenac transdermal patch placed on the dorsum of hand and a placebo patch on the buttock. The patches were applied 1 h before cannulation. An 18G cannula was used for all venous cannulations. Pain during cannulation was assessed on a non-graduated 10-cm visual analogue scale. Median [interquartile range] pain scores were 3.0 [2.0-4.0] in the Diclofenac-Hand group, 5.0 [4.3-7.8] in the Diclofenac-Buttock group and 6.5 [4.5-7.0] in the Control group, p < 0.05. The numbers needed to treat were six and two in the Diclofenac-Buttock and Diclofenac-Hand groups, respectively. The application of a diclofenac transdermal patch at the cannulation site appears to be effective in decreasing cannulation pain.
Agarwal
A
A
Department of Anaesthesiology, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow 226 014, India. agarwal@sgpgi.ac.in
Dhiraaj
S
S
Kumar
A
A
Singhal
V
V
Singh
U
U
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002081:Buttocks; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac