@article{3125947,
    title = "Anesthetic ointment only (lidocaine/prilocaine) instead of injectable local lidocaine in trans-radial catheterization: A viable no-needle alternative",
    author = "Latsios, G. and Toutouzas, K. and Antonopoulos, A.S. and Melidi, E. and Synetos, A. and Vogiatzi, G. and Stasinopoulou, A. and Tsioufis, K. and Tsiamis, E. and Tousoulis, D.",
    journal = "Journal of Interventional Cardiology",
    year = "2017",
    volume = "30",
    number = "4",
    pages = "382-386",
    publisher = "Blackwell Publishing Inc.",
    issn = "0896-4327, 1540-8183",
    doi = "10.1111/joic.12399",
    keywords = "lidocaine;  lidocaine plus prilocaine;  lidocaine;  lidocaine plus prilocaine;  local anesthetic agent;  prilocaine, adult;  aged;  analgesia;  artery catheterization;  artery spasm;  Article;  controlled study;  coronary angiography;  coronary artery disease;  female;  heart catheterization;  human;  local anesthesia;  major clinical study;  male;  pain;  pain intensity;  priority journal;  puncture;  radial artery;  randomized controlled trial;  transradial coronary catheterization;  visual analog scale;  cutaneous drug administration;  drug combination;  heart catheterization;  middle aged;  ointment;  pain measurement;  procedural pain;  procedures;  radial artery;  subcutaneous drug administration, Administration, Cutaneous;  Aged;  Anesthesia, Local;  Anesthetics, Local;  Cardiac Catheterization;  Coronary Angiography;  Drug Combinations;  Female;  Humans;  Injections, Subcutaneous;  Lidocaine;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Ointments;  Pain Measurement;  Pain, Procedural;  Prilocaine;  Radial Artery",
    abstract = "Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the level of access site pain in patients undergoing transradial coronary catheterization by using topical application of an anesthetic ointment (lidocaine/prilocaine—AO) compared to standard local anesthesia (LA) by means of injectable lidocaine. Methods: We prospectively studied 444 patients undergoing elective trans-radial coronary angiography. The quality of analgesia was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) immediately after the puncture and 30 min after the removal of the sheath. The number and duration of attempts before successful sheath insertion, as well as artery spasm, were compared between the two groups. Results: Pain levels measured by VAS were found to be similar between the two groups during sheath insertion (VAS: AO: 4.84 ± 1.0 vs 4.82 ± 1.2, P = NS), as well as 30 min after sheath removal (VAS: AO: 0.07 ± 0.5 vs LA: 0.15 ± 0.6, P = NS). The time to obtain radial access was also not affected by the use of anesthetic ointment (AO: 62.24 ± 25.7 s vs LA: 64.04 ± 18.78 sec, P = NS). The rate of clinical or angiographic radial artery spasm was similar (8-10%) between the groups (P = NS). Conclusion: Use of a local anesthetic ointment, versus injectable lidocaine, in trans-radial cardiac catheterization as means of local anesthesia, was found to be equally effective in terms of pain, artery spasm, or artery cannulation speed. © 2017, Wiley Periodicals, Inc."
}