Injectable Lidocaine Versus Lidocaine/Tetracaine Patch for the Incision and Drainage of Skin Abscesses

University of North Carolina System

Status and phase: Completed; Early Phase 1

Conditions: Cutaneous Abscess; Pain

Treatments: Drug: Lidocaine/tetracaine patch; Drug: 1% lidocaine

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02066818

ECUEM-Synera

Details and patient eligibility

About

Local anesthesia used for incision and drainage of abscesses is known to be painful.

We studied the analgesia provided by a lidocaine/tetracaine patch compared to injectable lidocaine during incision and drainage (I&D) of skin abscesses.

Local injection of lidocaine provided similar analgesia compared to the lidocaine/tetracaine patch during I&D of skin abscesses in the Emergency Department. Pain at presentation and following the procedure was similar in both groups.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age>18 years
• Skin abscess in need of incision and drainage (judged by treating physician)

Exclusion criteria

• Allergy to lidocaine or tetracaine
• Non-intact skin
• Unable/unwilling to provide informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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20 participants in 2 patient groups

Lidocaine Injection

Active Comparator group

Description:

Incision and drainage performed after patient received placebo patch with injection of 1% lidocaine into the site of the abscess.

Treatment:

Drug: 1% lidocaine

Lidocaine/tetracaine patch

Experimental group

Description:

Incision and drainage performed after patient received active lidocaine/tetracaine patch and injection of 10cc of saline into site of abscess

Treatment:

Drug: Lidocaine/tetracaine patch