A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Topical Amethocaine in Reducing Pain During Arterial Puncture

• Published in: Chest Vol. 122; no. 4; pp. 1357 - 1360
• Main Authors: Tran, Ngoc Q., Pretto, Jeffrey J., Worsnop, Christopher J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Northbrook, IL Elsevier Inc 01.10.2002; American College of Chest Physicians
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Aged; amethocaine; Anesthesia, Local - methods; Anesthetics, Local - administration & dosage; Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents; arterial puncture; Arteries; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Gas Analysis - methods; Blood Specimen Collection - methods; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neuropharmacology; Pain - etiology; Pain - prevention & control; Pain Measurement; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Punctures - adverse effects; Reference Values; Tetracaine - administration & dosage; topical anesthesia; Treatment Outcome; topical anesthesia; amethocaine; arterial puncture; Local anesthetic; Human; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Treatment efficiency; Controlled therapeutic trial; Puncture; Artery
• ISSN: 0012-3692; 1931-3543
• DOI: 10.1378/chest.122.4.1357

To determine if topical 4% amethocaine gel can reduce the pain associated with arterial punctures. Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial with parallel groups. Teaching hospital. Adults requiring arterial punctures for blood gas estimation as part of routine care. Four percent amethocaine gel applied for 30 min prior to the radial arterial puncture, compared with a placebo gel. Pain scored on a visual analog scale from 0 to 100, and heart rate during the procedure. The mean pain score for the amethocaine group was 16.0 (SD, 23.3) and for the placebo group was 20.7 (SD, 18.5). The mean heart rates during arterial puncture were 84.1 beats/min (SD, 10.7) for the amethocaine group, and 83.8 beats/min (SD, 12.7) for the placebo group. These differences were not statistically significant. The topical use of 4% amethocaine gel does not reduce the pain associated with arterial puncture.