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Does lidocaine gel alleviate the pain of bladder catheterization in young children? A randomized, controlled trial

Maureen Vaughan1, Elizabeth A Paton, Andrew Bush

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, Memphis, TN, USA.

Pediatrics
|October 4, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Lidocaine gel did not significantly reduce pain during bladder catheterization in young children. The procedure remains painful, indicating a need for alternative pain management strategies in pediatric emergency departments.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Pain Management
  • Urology

Background:

  • Bladder catheterization (BC) is a common and painful procedure in pediatric emergency departments.
  • Analgesia is underutilized for brief painful procedures in children.
  • Current practices often lack effective pain relief for BC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of 2% lidocaine gel in reducing pain during bladder catheterization in children under two years old.
  • To compare pain scores using lidocaine gel versus standard nonanesthetic lubricant.
  • To assess the impact of lidocaine on pain perception during BC in a pediatric ED setting.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted.
  • 115 preverbal children (<2 years) were randomized to receive either 2% lidocaine gel or nonanesthetic lubricant.
  • Pain was measured using the Face Legs Arms Cry Consolability Pain Scale (FLACC) at three time points.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant difference in mean FLACC pain scores was observed between the lidocaine and control groups during catheterization.
  • Both groups experienced a statistically significant increase in pain from pre-procedure to during the procedure.
  • Bladder catheterization was confirmed as a painful intervention for young children.

Conclusions:

  • Using 2% lidocaine gel as a lubricant during bladder catheterization in young children did not effectively alleviate procedural pain.
  • Standard practice may not be significantly improved by the addition of lidocaine gel for pain reduction.
  • Further research into alternative analgesia methods for pediatric bladder catheterization is warranted.
Abstract

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