title: Randomized double-blind clinical trial of eutectic mixture of local anesthetic creams in reducing pain during hysterosalpingography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is considered as a primary test in infertility work up worldwide due to its reliability in evaluating abnormalities related to the uterus and fallopian tubes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of applying eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (lidocaine-prilocaine cream) (EMLA) on the uterine cervix in reducing pain during HSG.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty patients undergoing HSG as part of infertility evaluation were randomly allocated to groups receiving either EMLA (N = 40) or placebo cream (N = 40) in a double-blinded prospective study. Fifteen minutes before HSG, 5 grams of 5% cream was applied to the uterine cervix using a cervical applicator. The degree of pain experienced by the patient was evaluated during and after HSG at five predefined steps on a visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the efficacy between EMLA and placebo creams in pain perception during the entire procedure. There was no significant difference in long term pain perception half an hour after the HSG performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not support the use of EMLA for HSG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mahdieh Hospital, Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center (IRHRC), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalantari
authors.affiliation: Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center (IRHRC), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahrzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zadeh Modares
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Imaging at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Firoozeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Mahdieh Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vajihe
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hazari
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Imaging at Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Reproductive Health at Reproductive Epidemiology Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chehrazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Shahed Dental University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Melika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Razaghi
keywords: Eutectic Lidocaine-Prilocaine; Hysterosalpingography; Pain; Visual Analog Scale