title: The effect of phenytoin cream in comparison with betadine solution on episiotomy pain of primiparous women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Episiotomy is a medical intervention in delivery which is still one of the most common surgical procedures. Topical phenytoin cream possesses analgesic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammation effects as well as accelerating tissue healing. Hence, the present study aimed to compare the effect of topical phenytoin cream with betadine solu-tion on pain reduction of episiotomy incision.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this double-blind clinical trial, 120 primiparous women with episiotomy that were referred to Al-Zahra Medical Center of Tabriz in 2010 were randomly allocated to phenytoin or betadine groups (60 in each group). Pain assessment was determine and compared using visual analog scale (VAS) in the first 24-hours and then in the 10(th) day after delivery. Data analysis per-formed using chi-square, independent t-student and repeated measurements ANOVA tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean pain intensity in the first 24-hours postpartum was 4.39 ± 1.11 in phenytoin group and in betadine group it was 7.11 ± 1.48 (p < 0.001). In the tenth day after delivery, mean pain intensity in phenytoin and betadine groups was 0.72 ± 1.04 and 3.45 ± 2.00 respectively (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that local phenytoin is effective on reducing the pain of episiotomy wound and can be replaced with betadine.
authors.affiliation: MSc, Postgraduate Student, Department of Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, International Aras Branch, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fahimeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rashidi
authors.affiliation: MSc, Instructor, Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fahimeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sehhati
authors.affiliation: PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghojazadeh
authors.affiliation: PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Yosef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Javadzadeh
authors.affiliation: BSc in Midwifery, Women's Clinic, Alzahra Hospital, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Monireh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haghsaie
keywords: Betadine; Episiotomy; Pain; Phenytoin