title: Administration of local anesthetic agents to decrease pain associated with peripheral vascular access.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare a variety of local anesthetic agents before starting an intravenous (i.v.) device to determine which method is the most comfortable for patients. Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pretest-posttest experimental design, the study compared 5 treatment groups (anesthetic spray, placebo spray, anesthetic intradermal injection, placebo intradermal injection, and a control group with no local anesthetic agent) in 84 emergency department patients. Pain was measured with a visual analog scale before and after the application of the local anesthetic agents and after i.v. insertion. Pain was significantly higher in the anesthetic intradermal injection group 1 minute after anesthetic application compared with the other treatment groups. Pain ratings 3 minutes after i.v. insertion were found to be similar for the 5 treatment groups. These study results do not support the use of intradermal anesthetic agents before i.v. catheter insertion.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Rex Healthcare, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607, USA. steven.anderson@rexhealth.com
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cockrell
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beller
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Myra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cederna-Moss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015990:Placebo Effect; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D008012:Lidocaine