[Investigations on pain reduction during peripheral angiography (author's transl)]

An attempt was made to reduce pain during femoral angiography by adding 1 mg. of Lidocaine/ml. contrast medium in the course of 95 examinations. In a further 87 patients, Diazepam was injected intravenously before the injection of the contrast-Lidocaine mixture. Pain and the feeling of heat was compared with a control group who received contrast medium with 10% physiological saline. There was a highly significant reduction in pain sensation as a result of Lidocaine; pain was further reduced by additional Diazepam, which also reduced heat sensation, but resulted in a fall in blood pressure. High risk patients did not suffer any significant complications. Lidocaine is well suited for out patients, but Diazepam requires a longer period of observation. General anaesthesia has been used only if patients insisted on it or if there was known contrast reaction.