Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow
Published on: January 13, 2017
Iontophoretic administration of lidocaine anesthesia in office practice. An appraisal
J M Maloney1, J L Bezzant, R L Stephen
1Division of Dermatology, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City.
Background:
Obtaining anesthesia for dermatologic, office-based surgeries often involves the pain of needle stick and burning upon injection of local anesthetic agents. No truly effective method for obtaining painless anesthesia is well accepted in the United States.
Objective:
A study was carried out using iontophoresis of lidocaine with epinephrine to determine the practicality of this method of delivering local anesthesia prior to invasive procedures in dermatology offices.
Methods:
A two-center, open-label study was undertaken using iontophoretic administration of 4% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:50,000 before painful procedures occurring in the dermatologists' office.
Results:
Ninety-four procedures in 64 patients were evaluated. Both patients and physicians recorded 51% of procedures as painless, 36% as minor (partial), and 14% causing moderate to severe pain. Iontophoretic local anesthesia was 80 to 100% effective for pain relief for injections, abrasions, laser surgery, and cautery; it was significantly less effective in effecting pain relief for dermal excisions.
Conclusions:
Iontophoretic administration of anesthesia is a useful adjunct to the armamentarium of dermatologists performing surgical procedures in their office.
Related Concept Videos
Local Anesthetics: Pharmacokinetics
Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
One of the advantages of...

