NO ANTIINFLAMMATORY EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM TOPICAL AND SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF LOCAL-ANESTHETICS ON POSTBURN INFLAMMATION

Background and Objectives. To investigate the effect of topical and su bcutaneous administration of local anesthetics on the inflammatory res ponse to thermal injury in human volunteers. Methods. Sixteen healthy volunteers received identical burn injuries (49-degrees-C for 6 minute s) on the right and left calves with a 15 x 25 mm rectangular thermode . Eight subjects had topical 5% EMLA applied before and after burn inj ury, and another eight subjects were administered subcutaneous 0.5% bu pivacaine infiltration before burn injury on the right or left leg. No treatment was applied to the contralateral leg in either group becaus e this served as the control. The dermal response after burn injury in test areas with EMLA or bupivacaine and without treatment was compare d 24 hours, 72 hours, 168 hours, and 14 days after burn injury. Result s. No significant difference was found in the area of flare, developme nt of blister and ulcerations, or the intensity of inflammation after burn injury between the control legs and EMLA or bupivacaine-treated l egs, respectively. Conclusion. No antiinflammatory effect of short-ter m preinjury and postinjury topical 5% EMLA or subcutaneous 0.5% bupiva caine could be demonstrated after thermal injury in human volunteers.