EMLA CREAM ANESTHESIA FOR FRENULOPLASTY

Objective To evaluate the use of a eutectic mixture of local anaesthet ics (EMLA) cream as the sole anaesthetic for frenuloplasty. Patients a nd methods Fifteen patients (mean age 25.6 years, range 19-41) were gi ven topical EMLA cream 30 min before frenuloplasty; a Tegaderm(R) dres sing was applied to keep the anaesthetic in place. The level of anaest hesia was assessed on arrival in theatre using pin-prick testing and t he patients were asked to grade their level of pain during the procedu re using a visual analogue scale. If the level of anaesthesia was inad equate for the operation to be performed, then supplementary infiltrat ive anaesthesia was administered. Results Fourteen patients had pain s cores of zero and were fully anaesthetized during the procedure. One p atient's Tegaderm(R) dressing was displaced soon after application and he was inadequately anaesthetized on testing, had a pain score of 4 a nd required infiltrative lignocaine before proceeding with frenuloplas ty. Conclusions EMLA cream is a cell-tolerated and reliable anaestheti c for frenuloplasty. Using a condom to keep the cream in place would r educe the small failure rate associated with the displacement of the T egaderm(R) dressing.