EVALUATION OF AN AMETHOCAINE GEL PREPARATION FOR PERCUTANEOUS ANALGESIA BEFORE VENOUS CANNULATION IN CHILDREN

We have evaluated the efficacy and safety of a preparation of 4% ameth ocaine gel in alleviating the pain of venous cannulation in children. In an initial open study of 148 children, clinically acceptable anaest hesia was achieved in 92% of cases. The preparation was then compared with 5% EMLA cream in a single-blind study in 94 patients using an app lication time of 40 min. We found clinically acceptable conditions in 85% of patients receiving amethocaine gel compared with 66% in the EML A group. There were no significant adverse effects noted in each group , although 37% of those children treated with amethocaine gel showed l ocalized erythema at the application site. The results suggest that am ethocaine gel has greater efficacy and a faster onset time than EMLA c ream when used for this purpose in children.