Comparison of injection pain of articaine and lidocaine in eyelid surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the pain induced by tissue infiltration of lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:100,000 versus articaine 4% with epinephrine 1:100,000 for eyelid surgery.


METHODS
Thirty patients undergoing bilateral eyelid surgery were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-masked study. Each subject received injections of lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:100,000 (Xylocaine) on one side and articaine 4% with epinephrine 1:100,000 (Septocaine) on the other for surgical anesthesia. The patients rated the pain of infiltration using a 100-mm visual analogue scale immediately after receiving each injection. The pain scores were compared using the paired t test.


RESULTS
Twenty-two of the 30 patients (73.3%) rated the articaine injection as less painful than the lidocaine injection. The mean pain score for lidocaine was 42.60 +/- 24.74 and the pain score for articaine was 31.85 +/- 20.28 (p = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, infiltration of articaine was less painful than lidocaine for eyelid surgery, making articaine an attractive alternative for local anesthesia.
Steele
Eric A
EA
Oregon Health and Science University, Casey Eye Institute, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA. steeleer@ohsu.edu
Ng
John D
JD
Poissant
Tasha M
TM
Campbell
Nancy M
NM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002355:Carticaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008012:Lidocaine; D002355:Carticaine; D004837:Epinephrine