title: A comparison of Rapydan® patch and Ametop® gel for venous cannulation.
abstract: Ametop(®) gel (4% tetracaine) is used to provide topical anaesthesia for venous cannulation. Rapydan(®) patch (7% lidocaine and 7% tetracaine) has been developed to provide topical anaesthesia by a different mechanism, that of heat assisted delivery. We compared the topical anaesthetic effect of these agents for venous cannulation. One hundred healthy adults undergoing day-case surgery were randomly assigned to receive either Rapydan (n = 50) or Ametop (n = 50) before venous cannulation. Pain on insertion was scored on a visual analogue scale between 0 and 100 (where 100 = unbearable pain). Median(IQR[range]) pain scores were not different between groups with 11 (5-20 [0-72]) for Rapydan and 10 (5-24 [0-95]) for Ametop (p = 0.63). Adequate topical anaesthesia was achieved in over 90% of patients in both groups. Rapydan produces topical anaesthesia comparable with Ametop for venous cannulation.
authors.affiliation: Fairfield Hospital, Bury, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ravishankar
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Elliot
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Beardow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mallick
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005782:Gels; D009824:Ointments; D013748:Tetracaine; D008012:Lidocaine