Chloroprocaine 3% Gel as a Novel Ocular Topical Anesthetic: Results from a Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial in Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of a novel ophthalmic anesthetic, chloroprocaine 3% gel to tetracaine 0.5% eye drops in patients undergoing cataract surgery with phacoemulsification. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, multicenter, active-controlled, masked-observer, parallel group competitive equivalence study. The study comprised 338 patients having routine cataract extraction by clear corneal phacoemulsification, randomized to receive 3 drops of chloroprocaine gel (n = 166) or tetracaine eye drops (n = 172) before surgery. The primary objective of the study was to assess the equivalence of chloroprocaine gel to tetracaine eye drops as proportion of patients with successful ocular surface anesthesia, without any supplementation just before intraocular lens implantation. Safety measurements were pain, irritation, burning, stinging, photophobia, and foreign body sensation, graded by the patient and objective ocular signs. Results: Equivalence was demonstrated, with a somewhat higher success rate of chloroprocaine gel: 152/166 (92.0%) chloroprocaine versus 153/172 (90.5%) tetracaine patients achieved ocular surface anesthesia with no supplementation. Difference in proportions was 1.5% confidence interval [95% CI: (-3.6 to 6.6)] and 90% CI fell within (-10 to 10). Mean onset of anesthesia was 1.35 ± 0.87 min for chloroprocaine and 1.57 ± 1.85 for tetracaine (P = 0.083). Mean duration of anesthesia was 21.57 ± 12.26 min for chloroprocaine and 22.04 ± 12.58 for tetracaine (P = 0.574). No treatment emergent adverse events related to chloroprocaine were reported and no relevant findings related to local tolerance or vital signs were observed in both arms. Conclusions: Results obtained from the present cataract study demonstrated that chloroprocaine 3% ophthalmic gel is safe and effective, representing a valid alternative in ocular topical anesthesia. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT04685538.

Short-Term Topical Tetracaine Is Highly Efficacious for the Treatment of Pain Caused by Corneal Abrasions: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to show that patients with corneal abrasions would experience more pain relief with short-term topical tetracaine than placebo. METHODS: The study was a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial of tetracaine versus placebo set in the emergency department (ED). A total of 118 adults who presented with uncomplicated corneal abrasions were included and randomized. The intervention was either topical tetracaine or placebo applied every 30 minutes as needed for 24 hours. The primary outcome was the overall numeric rating scale pain score measured at the 24- to 48-hour ED follow-up examination. RESULTS: One hundred eleven patients were included in the final analysis, 56 in the tetracaine group and 55 in the placebo group. At the 24- to 48-hour follow-up, the overall numeric rating scale pain score after use of the study drops was significantly lower in the tetracaine group (1) versus placebo group (8) (Δ7; 95% confidence interval 6 to 8). Patients in the tetracaine group used less hydrocodone than those in the placebo group. The complication rates between the 2 groups were similar. CONCLUSION: Short-term topical tetracaine is an efficacious analgesic for acute corneal abrasions, is associated with less hydrocodone use compared with placebo, and was found to be safe in this sample.

Tetracaine combined with propofol for painless oocyte retrieval: from a single center study.

BACKGROUND: In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer is a main assisted reproductive technique that can improve the success rate of conception. At present, the ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval is often employed in clinics, but this process will cause pain and fear in outpatients. This study explored the safety and satisfaction of patients who received egg retrieval under vaginal topical tetracaine anesthesia combined with intravenous propofol anesthesia. METHODS: Patients who underwent elective egg retrieval in the Reproductive Center of Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital were recruited from January 2017 to August 2018 [tetracaine + propofol group (n=53); propofol group (n=48)]. RESULTS: Results showed that tetracaine combined with propofol anesthesia could effectively reduce the dose of propofol during surgery, ensure the quality of follicles, effectively reduce the postoperative pain and improve the operational satisfaction without affecting the prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence for further clinical applications of this technique.

Efficacy and Safety of COX-2 Inhibitor Parecoxib for Rigid Cystoscopy-related Pain Management in Male Patients: A Prospective, Randomized and Controlled Study.

Using anesthetic gel may not sufficiently exclude pain perception during and after cystoscopy in male patients. To evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of intramuscular parecoxib (40 mg) for outpatient-based rigid cystoscopy, we performed a prospective, randomized and controlled study. Consecutive male patients requiring diagnostic cystoscopy in our hospital were divided into group A (1% tetracaine gel, n=50) and group B (parecoxib, n=51) at random. Patients received intramuscular injections of either 2 mL sterile saline in group A or 40 mg parecoxib in group B 30 min before the procedure. Tetracaine gel was injected into the urethra 3 min before the procedure in group A, with patients receiving plain lubricant gel in group B at the same time. Cystoscopy-associated pain levels were evaluated using the Visual Analog Score (VAS) during the procedure. Post-procedure urethral pain and complications were recorded and analyzed. The results showed that male patients experienced significantly less pain in group B than in group A (2.70±1.36 vs. 3.56±1.74, P=0.008). The percentage of patients with dysuria pain was not significantly different between the two groups. In addition, 24 h after cystoscopy, the patients with no previous experience of cystoscopy were more likely to declare urethral pain (59.2% vs. 33.3%, P=0.012, relative risk=1.78). No difference was observed in analgesic-related complications between the two groups. We conclude that intramuscular injection of 40 mg parecoxib may improve comfort for male patients undergoing rigid cystoscopy.

Ant Bites Conjunctival Tissue: The ABCs of Removing an Ocular Ant Foreign Body.

BACKGROUND: A variety of insect-related ocular injuries have been reported in the literature. However, no reports have been published documenting injuries resulting from exposure of the ocular surface to ants. This is surprising, given the relatively ubiquitous presence of ants. This is the first known case report to describe various techniques utilized in the removal of ants from the ocular surface. CASE REPORT: This case report details the presentation of a distressed 24-year-old woman who presented to the Emergency Department with an ocular foreign body associated with pain and increased lacrimation. She was identified to have an ant adherent to her conjunctiva. Various techniques of removal were performed, with the ant finally removed without any trauma to underlying tissues. CONCLUSION: This is the first case report to detail various techniques utilized in the removal of ants from the ocular surface, and discusses salient features that treating physicians should be aware of in managing patients presenting with ant bites.

Pain management for children needing laceration repair.

Question An 8-year-old child who lives in a small town has presented to my practice with a 3-inch laceration on the calf that has been assessed and needs repair with sutures. The family lives 4 hours from the nearest emergency department and I was planning to repair the wound in the office. What is the best way to manage pain in young patients needing sutures for laceration repair?Answer Children are particularly susceptible to experiencing high levels of pain and anxiety during routine emergency procedures such as laceration repair. It is important to consider measures to reduce procedural pain. Using needle-free anesthesia, such as the lidocaine-adrenaline-tetracaine combination, might be effective to anesthetize the area. In instances where lidocaine-adrenaline-tetracaine is not sufficient, additional injected lidocaine or bupivacaine can be used. Buffering lidocaine with bicarbonate, warming the lidocaine ampule, and injecting the compound slowly at a perpendicular angle to the skin will reduce pain associated with the injection.

A Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Two Topical Anesthetics on Pain Response During Frenotomy in Young Infants.

Objective: To examine the comparative effectiveness of two topical anesthetics in controlling the pain associated with tongue-tie release (frenotomy) in young infants. Design: Randomized trial. Setting: A Pediatric Craniofacial Clinic. Subjects: Forty-two infants who were referred for frenotomy were randomly allocated to receive the topical anesthetic gel 2% tetracaine or 20% benzocaine applied prior to frenotomy. Frenotomies were videotaped. The primary outcome measure was the Neonatal Facial Coding System (NFCS) score. Secondary outcome measures included cry duration and a visual analog scale (VAS) assessed by the parents. Results: The two groups were comparable with regard to weight, age, gender, previous painful experience, and last feeding time. Median NFCS scores prior to frenotomy in the tetracaine and the benzocaine groups were 4.5 (IQR: 0.75­10.2) and 3.5 (IQR: 0­9.5), respectively (P = 0.89, 95% CI −3 to 4). During frenotomy, median NFCS score increased to 28 (IQR: 24.5­30.25) in the tetracaine group (P < 0.0001, median difference −22, 95% CI −24.5 to −19), and to 28 (IQR: 26­30) in the benzocaine group (P < 0.0001, median difference −23, 95% CI −27 to −17). Mean cry durations in the tetracaine and the benzocaine groups were 69.4 seconds and 63.9 seconds, respectively (P = 0.32, 95% CI −47 to 15), and mean VAS scores were 57.2 and 58.2, respectively (P = 0.89, 95% CI −15.2 to 13.4). Conclusions: These topical anesthetics seem ineffective in controlling the pain associated with frenotomy. Clinicians should continue to search for an effective treatment for this procedure.

Treatment of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in mice using novel RyR2-modifying drugs.

RATIONALE: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a potentially lethal arrhythmic disorder caused by mutations in the type-2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2). Mutant RyR2 cause abnormal Ca2+ leak from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), which is associated with the development of arrhythmias. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether derivatives of tetracaine, a local anesthetic drug with known RyR2 inhibiting action, could prevent CPVT induction by suppression of RyR2-mediated SR Ca2+ leak. METHODS AND RESULTS: Confocal microscopy was used to assess the effects of tetracaine and 9 derivatives (EL1-EL9) on spontaneous Ca2+ sparks in ventricular myocytes isolated from RyR2-R176Q/+ mice with CPVT. Whereas each derivative suppressed the Ca2+ spark frequency, derivative EL9 was most effective at the screening dose of 500nmol/L. At this high dose, the Ca2+ transient amplitude was not affected in myocytes from WT or R176Q/+ mice. The IC50 of EL9 was determined to be 13nmol/L, which is about 400× time lower than known RyR2 stabilizer K201. EL9 prevented the induction of ventricular tachycardia observed in placebo-treated R176Q/+ mice, without affecting heart rate or cardiac contractility. CONCLUSIONS: Tetracaine derivatives represent a novel class of RyR2 stabilizing drugs that could be used for the treatment of the potentially fatal disorder catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.

Therapeutic opportunities when using vapocoolants for cannulation in children.

How nurses make a difference and influence outcome has been the subject of much debate over many years and is perhaps more relevant now owing to healthcare funding being a scarce commodity. Nurses need justification and validation of what they do. Nursing therapeutics is a relatively new term that can help nurses and others to appreciate the multifariousness, complexity and value of what they do. It encapsulates the means by which a nurse delivers care that is both evidence based and beneficial to his or her patients. This article highlights how nurses can make use of common nursing interventions to ensure that the full impact of their skills is embedded in their care-using the administration of vapocoolants as the focus of the discussion. It will be illustrated that through each patient contact, a nurse can establish therapeutic principles that can positively influence health outcomes.

Traumatismo ocular con cuerpo extraño intraocular / Eye injury with an intraocular foreign body

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Double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of intranasal K305 (3% tetracaine plus 0.05% oxymetazoline) in anesthetizing maxillary teeth.

BACKGROUND: The authors compared the local anesthetic efficacy and safety of an intranasally administered formulation of tetracaine and oxymetazoline (K305) with placebo in adult participants undergoing single dental restorative procedures in teeth nos. 4 through 13. METHODS: The authors screened and allocated 150 participants in a double-masked, randomized fashion to either K305 or placebo nasal spray. The authors delivered the study drug as two 0.2-milliliter sprays separated by 4 minutes inside the nostril on the side ipsilateral to the tooth being treated. The authors administered a third 0.2-mL spray, if necessary, and administered 4% articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine by means of injection if anesthesia was inadequate. Safety evaluations included participant reports of adverse events, vital signs, and alcohol sniff tests during the 2-hour study period and at a 1-day follow-up visit. The primary efficacy end point was anesthetic success defined as the completion of the dental procedure without the need for rescue injectable local anesthetic. The authors evaluated differences in success rates observed between K305 and placebo by using a 1-sided Fisher exact test. RESULTS: The overall success rates were 88.0% (95% confidence interval, 80.0-93.6) and 28% (95% confidence interval, 16.2-42.5) for K305 and placebo, respectively (P < .0001). The most frequent adverse effects in the K305 group were rhinorrhea (57.0%) and nasal congestion (26.0%). No serious adverse events occurred during this study. CONCLUSIONS: K305 was effective and well tolerated during restorative procedures in adult participants. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: K305 provides a needleless alternative for obtaining maxillary pulpal anesthesia on premolars, canines, and incisors.

Let Us Use LET: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Well-managed pain is associated with faster recovery, fewer complications, and decreased use of resources. In children, pain relief is also associated with higher patient and parent satisfaction. Studies have shown that there are deficiencies in pediatric pain management. LET gel (lidocaine 4%, epinephrine 0.1%, and tetracaine 0.5%) is a topical anesthetic that is routinely used before laceration repair. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if educational initiatives as part of a quality improvement initiative lead to increased rates of early topical anesthetic usage in a large urban pediatric emergency department. METHODS: The initiative consisted of an educational session and a triage booth poster. We then reviewed the charts of patients with facial and scalp lacerations for the month before the initiative, the month after the initiative, and 1 year after the initiative. We assessed if LET gel usage and time to administration improved and were sustainable. RESULTS: We reviewed 138 charts. Before the initiative, only 57.4% received LET gel before facial laceration repair with a mean time to application of 58.3 minutes. One month after the initiative, there was an increase in LET gel application by 20.1% with a reduction in time to application by 35.9 minutes (P < 0.05). In addition, these improvements were significantly sustainable. One year after the interventions, 82.4% received LET before facial laceration repair, and the time to LET application was 27.8 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Simple educational initiatives can improve the use of topical anesthetics. By using educational tools as part of a quality improvement initiative, we were able to significantly improve the rates of LET gel application for facial lacerations in children and decrease the time to administration.

Efficacy and Clinical Value of Commonly Used Ingredients in Pain Management Compounds: A LITERATURE REVIEW.

The need for continued improvement in pain management is growing. This review is aimed towards identifying the literature regarding clinical and therapeutic value of the commonly used ingredients in pain management compounds: lidocaine, tetracaine, ketoprofen, ketamine, and gabapentin. Prospectively, future studies should be conducted to identify the exact benefits and side effects of compounded pain management therapies, such that these compounds can be effectively utilized when deemed appropriate.

Predicting Response to Subacromial Injections and Lidocaine/Tetracaine Patch from Pretreatment Pain Quality in Patients with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: No existing pain treatment is effective for all pain problems, and response to pain treatment is highly variable. Knowledge regarding the patient factors that predict response to different treatments could benefit patients by providing an empirical foundation for patient-treatment matching. This study sought to test the hypothesis that improvements following two treatments thought to operate via similar mechanisms would be predicted by similar baseline pain qualities. DESIGN: Prospective prediction analysis using data from a previously published open label trial comparing a heated lidocaine/tetracaine patch versus subacromial corticosteroid injection for the treatment of pain in individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome. RESULTS: Consistent with the study hypothesis, the response to the two treatments were predicted by similar baseline pain qualities; specifically, higher baseline levels of unpleasant, electric, and sensitive pain predicted subsequent improvements in sleep interference, work/activity interference, and patient global ratings of improvement, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are consistent with the combined ideas that (1) those who have the most to gain (i.e., those reporting the highest levels of various pain qualities) can expect the best response to effective treatments and (2) different pain qualities may be associated with different types of outcomes. The findings support further research to examine how pain quality measures may be used to improve patient-treatment matching, and therefore, ultimately improve the efficiency, efficacy, and overall benefit-risk of pain treatment.

Does topical Amethocaine cream increase first-time successful cannulation in children compared with a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) cream? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Cannulation of children is often required for administration of intravenous fluids and medications, but can cause pain and anxiety. Amethocaine and a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) cream are two of the most commonly used local anaesthetic creams. OBJECTIVE: To examine the evidence for the superiority of Amethocaine cream compared with EMLA cream in facilitating successful first-time cannulation in children. METHOD: A systematic search was undertaken in MEDLINE and EMBASE in June 2014. Studies examining cannulation, undertaken with children and providing data about first-time cannulation success rates were considered for inclusion. Three randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Data extraction was undertaken independently by the two authors using predefined data fields. RESULTS: Pooled analysis was based on a random effects model. Low statistical heterogeneity was observed. Amethocaine cream increased the likelihood of successful first-time cannulation (RR 1.046, CI 0.975 to 1.122), although this did not reach statistical significance (p=0.211). CONCLUSIONS: Amethocaine cream does not appear to significantly facilitate successful first-time cannulation. Lack of precision and design weaknesses of the included studies hinder the formation of a strong recommendation for either cream. IMPLICATIONS: Based on the evidence reviewed here and considering analgesic properties and cost-savings associated with both creams, a weak recommendation can be issued in favour of Amethocaine cream for cannulation in children based on high-quality evidence but where the treatment choice will depend on other factors including cost and provider preference.