Title: Comparison of Pain Score in Differently Timed EMLA Cream Application in Pediatric Age Group
Authors: Dr Sheela Verghese, Dr Shamim Kunhu. V
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i4.32
Abstract
Background: Securing a safe and patent intravenous access for drug and fluid administration is one of the most important pre requisites of delivering anesthesia to any patient. Intravenous cannulation is now performed almost universally before induction of anesthesia. This procedure has been reported to produce significant pain especially in pediatric population. Therefore it would be appropriate to use percutaneous anesthetic agents
Methods and Material: The efficacy of a topical anesthetic formulation, EMLA 5% cream (Eutectic Mixture of Local Anaesthetics), in obtunding the pain produced by intravenous cannulation was evaluated in our observational study. Pain scores were compared in total 50 patients with EMLA cream applied 30 minutes and 60 minutes prior to venous cannulation
Results: Patients in whom EMLA was applied 60 minutes prior to cannulation had the lowest pain score value with68% having pain score 0. Significant analgesia were produced in both 30minutes and 60 minutes group as shown by pain score 0&1, with 76% and 88% respectively
Conclusions: We recommend the use of EMLA cream prior to venepuncture in all pediatric patients. For maximum analgesic effect, EMLA should be applied for 60 minutes. Satisfactory analgesia can achieved after 30 minutes
Keywords: EMLA, cannulation, pain.
