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An evaluation of efficacy of balloon inflation on venous cannulation pain in children: a prospective, randomized,
Devendra Gupta1, Anil Agarwal, Sanjay Dhiraaj
1Department of Anesthesia and Biostatistics, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Insights
Balloon inflation effectively reduces venipuncture pain in children. This simple distraction technique offers a significant, non-pharmacological method for pain management during common medical procedures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Pain Management
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Venipuncture is a frequent source of pain for hospitalized children.
- Effective pain management strategies are crucial for pediatric patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of balloon inflation as a distraction technique for attenuating venipuncture pain in pediatric patients.
- To compare balloon inflation with a rubber ball distraction and a control group.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, randomized study included 75 pediatric patients (6-12 years) undergoing elective surgery.
- Patients were divided into three groups: control, rubber ball distraction, and balloon inflation.
- Pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) after venipuncture.
Main Results:
- The balloon inflation group reported significantly lower median VAS pain scores (1) compared to the distraction (2) and control (4) groups (P < 0.000).
- A significant reduction in both the incidence and severity of venipuncture pain was observed in the balloon group (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Balloon inflation is an effective, non-pharmacological intervention for reducing venipuncture pain in children.
- This method provides a simple and accessible distraction technique for pediatric pain management.
Abstract:
Venipuncture is the most common painful event for a hospitalized child. We evaluated the efficacy of balloon inflation for attenuating venipuncture pain in children. Seventy-five pediatric patients aged 6-12 yr, ASA physical status I-II, of either sex, undergoing elective surgery were included in this prospective and randomized study. Patients were randomly divided into 3 equal groups of 25 each; Group I (control), Group II (distraction) pressed a rubber ball, and Group III (balloon) inflated a balloon. A manual venous occlusion was applied on the forearm and venipuncture was performed with a 22-gauge venous cannula. Pain was self-reported by a pain face scale with a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) placed at its back, where 0 = "no pain" and 10 = "worst imaginable pain." VAS scores of 1-3 were rated as mild, 4-6 as moderate, and >6 as severe. Median (interquartile range) VAS score in the balloon group was 1 (3), which was reduced as compared with 2 (2) and 4 (2) observed in the distraction and control groups, respectively (P < 0.000). Significant reduction in the incidence and severity of venipuncture pain was also observed in the balloon group compared with the other 2 groups (P < 0.05).
