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Related Experiment Videos

Use and Effectiveness of Ethyl Chloride for Hand Injections.

Orrin I Franko1, Peter J Stern2

  • 1East Bay Hand Medical Center, San Leandro, CA.

The Journal of Hand Surgery
|March 6, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Ethyl chloride spray is commonly used by hand surgeons for injections but offers no significant reduction in patient pain or anxiety. Its documented risks may outweigh any perceived benefits for routine hand procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Pain Management
  • Anesthesiology

Background:

  • Ethyl chloride topical spray is frequently used by hand surgeons for anesthetic purposes during injections.
  • Limited scientific literature supports its efficacy, while documented risks include frostbite, skin irritation, and inhalation toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of ethyl chloride use among hand surgeons.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of ethyl chloride spray in reducing pain and anxiety during routine hand injections.

Main Methods:

  • A survey of American Society for Surgery of the Hand members assessed ethyl chloride usage.
  • A prospective, randomized study at two institutions compared ethyl chloride spray versus no spray for hand injections.
  • Patients completed pre- and post-injection questionnaires on pain and anxiety.
Keywords:
Ethyl chloridecarpal tunnelinjectionstrigger fingervapocoolant

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Main Results:

  • 59% of surveyed hand surgeons reported frequent use of ethyl chloride.
  • The clinical study found no significant differences in injection pain, post-injection pain, or overall anxiety between the ethyl chloride and no-spray groups.
  • Subgroup analyses showed no effect of sex, anticipated anxiety, or pain threshold.

Conclusions:

  • Ethyl chloride spray is widely adopted by hand surgeons but provides no demonstrable benefit for routine hand injections.
  • The potential risks and costs associated with ethyl chloride use likely exceed its benefits in this context.