Lidocaine-prilocaine (EMLA(®) ) cream as analgesia in hysteroscopy practice: a prospective, randomized, non-blinded, controlled study.

Baldomero Arnau, Esther Jovell, Stephanie Redón, Marta Canals, Vanessa Mir, Elena Jiménez

Index: Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 92(8) , 978-81, (2013)

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Abstract

We investigated the efficacy of 5% lidocaine 25 mg-prilocaine 25 mg/g cream (EMLA(®) ) applied to the uterine cervix for reducing pain during diagnostic or operative hysteroscopy, using a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain in a prospective randomized, non-blinded, controlled study in 92 successive patients. Patients were randomized to either 3 mL of EMLA cream or 3 mL of ultrasound gel (placebo), placed endocervically and exocervically, 10 min before hysteroscopy. Intensity of pain was evaluated immediately after the procedure using a 10-cm VAS. No differences were found between the two groups (p = 0.07). The number of women who wished to stop the procedure was significantly lower in the EMLA group compared with the control group (p = 0.013). We concluded that topical instillation of EMLA does not decrease pain during hysteroscopy, but does reduce a desire to abandon the procedure.© 2013 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.