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The effectiveness of a gate channel device on pain in the pediatric emergency department: A randomized controlled
Ted J Andrews1, Jill Fennell2, Brian H Wrotniak3
1Department of Pediatrics, Division Developmental Pediatrics and Rehabilitation, UBMD Pediatrics, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, John R. Oishei Children's Hospital, 1001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
Insights
Buzzy, a vibrating cold device, significantly reduced pain during IV placement in children compared to vapocoolant or no treatment. This vibrating cold device is effective for managing pediatric emergency department pain.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Pain Management
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Phlebotomy and IV placement are common sources of pain for pediatric patients in emergency departments.
- Effective pain management strategies are crucial for improving patient experience and compliance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of Buzzy®, a vibrating cold device, against vapocoolant and a control group in alleviating pain during IV placement.
- To assess both child-reported and parent-perceived pain levels.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 171 pediatric patients (ages 6-18) requiring IV insertion.
- Patients were assigned to receive either Buzzy®, vapocoolant, or standard care (control).
- The Faces Pain Scale - Revised (FPS-R) was used to measure pain before and after the intervention.
Main Results:
- Patient-reported pain scores significantly decreased post-intervention in the Buzzy group (p < 0.01) but not in the vapocoolant or control groups.
- Guardian-perceived pain scores significantly reduced in both the Buzzy (p < 0.01) and vapocoolant (p < 0.05) groups, with no change in the control group.
- The Buzzy group demonstrated the most significant reduction in both patient-reported and guardian-perceived pain.
Conclusions:
- Buzzy® is a clinically effective tool for managing pain associated with phlebotomy and IV insertion in pediatric emergency settings.
- The vibrating cold device Buzzy® is as effective or superior to vapocoolant for pain reduction in this population.
- This study supports the integration of Buzzy® into routine pediatric emergency care for procedural pain management.
Objectives:
Phlebotomy is an important source of self-reported pain in the pediatric emergency department. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Buzzy®, a vibrating cold device, to vapocoolant and control in reducing child-reported and parent-perceived pain during IV placement in the pediatric emergency department.
Methods:
Patients ages 6-18 years who required IV insertion in the emergency department were randomized to Buzzy, vapocoolant or control groups. The Faces Pain Scale - Revised was used to assess both patient pain and parent perceived pain.
Results:
171 patients were randomized into the 3 groups: 56 in the Buzzy group, 57 in the vapocoolant group and 58 in the control group. Patient-reported FACES pain scores decreased significantly from pre- to post-intervention in the Buzzy group (5.41 ± 2.90 to 3.58 ± 2.87, p < 0.01) but not in the vapocoolant group (4.54 ± 2.65 to 3.84 ± 3.12, not significant), or the control group (5.03 ± 3.01 to 4.57 ± 3.43, not significant). Guardian-reported pain scores also showed significant reductions in the Buzzy group (3.46 ± 2.88 to 1.69 ± 2.28, p < 0.01) and vapocoolant group (3.06 ± 2.93 to 2.24 ± 2.56, p < 0.05), with no significant change in the control group (2.86 ± 2.85 to 2.79 ± 2.84).
Conclusions:
This study supports the utility of Buzzy® as a clinically effective resource in the management of phlebotomy related pain and demonstrates that it is as good or better than vapocoolant in the pediatric emergency department.
