title: Intraurethral lubricants: a critical literature review and recommendations.
abstract: In current clinical practice, lidocaine gel is widely used as a local anesthetic lubricant before various forms of transurethral instrumentation. Over the past few years, the value of local anesthesia during urethral catheterization and flexible or rigid cystoscopy has been questioned. Strong data are lacking, and the results from the different studies are contradictory. As a result, the correct use of the intraurethral gels is, for the most part, left to individual preference. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the characteristics of the intraurethral gels, to assess the effectiveness, and to define evidence-based indications for their use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Thessaly School of Medicine, Larissa, Greece. tzorvas@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tzortzis
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gravas
authors.forename: Michel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Melekos
authors.forename: Jean J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: de la Rosette
mesh_terms: D005782:Gels; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D054327:Lubricants / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014521:Urethra / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D054327:Lubricants