[Comparison of analgesic effect of lidocaine tape versus eutectic mixture of lidocaine and tetracaine during infiltration of local anesthetics before epidural block].
We compared analgesic effects of a lidocaine tape (Penles) and the eutectic mixture of lidocaine and tetracaine (LT ointment) during local infiltration before epidural block. Ninety-six patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups. In groups 1 and 2, lidocaine tape was applied on the skin of the epidural puncture site 30-60 min before epidural block. In group 3, 1 g of LT ointment was applied on the same place 1-2 h before block. Additionally, patients in groups 2 and 3 were medicated intramuscularly with midazolam 5 mg. Although no significant difference in pain relief in 5 pin prick tests was observed among the three groups, there was a significantly greater decrease in the pain score during the infiltration of local anesthetics in groups 1 and 2, compared with group 3. There was no significant difference in the pain score between groups 1 and 2. We concluded that lidocaine tape is more useful than LT ointment in decreasing pain of local infiltration anesthesia, and midazolam did not exert any supplementary analgesic effect.