Iontophoretic administration of lidocaine anesthesia in office practice. An appraisal.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Obtaining anesthesia for dermatologic, office-based surgeries often involves the pain of needle stick and burning upon injection of local anesthetic agents. No truly effective method for obtaining painless anesthesia is well accepted in the United States. OBJECTIVE: A study was carried out using iontophoresis of lidocaine with epinephrine to determine the practicality of this method of delivering local anesthesia prior to invasive procedures in dermatology offices. METHODS: A two-center, open-label study was undertaken using iontophoretic administration of 4% lidocaine with epinephrine 150,000 before painful procedures occurring in the dermatologists' office. RESULTS: Ninety-four procedures in 64 patients were evaluated. Both patients and physicians recorded 51% of procedures as painless, 36% as minor (partial), and 14% causing moderate to severe pain. Iontophoretic local anesthesia was 80 to 100% effective for pain relief for injections, abrasions, laser surgery, and cautery; it was significantly less effective in effecting pain relief for dermal excisions. CONCLUSIONS: Iontophoretic administration of anesthesia is a useful adjunct to the armamentarium of dermatologists performing surgical procedures in their office.