[Topical anesthesia with the EMLA cream: application in pediatric urology]

EMLA Topical cream is a mixture of two local anaesthetics of the aminoamides group (lidocaine and prilocaine) with the ability to penetrate healthy skin. Since 1979 it has been used with good results in those countries where it is available, and where it has become a routinely used compound. In urology, it has been used to release is balanopreputial adherences as a skin anaesthetics in ESWL sessions, cauterization of penial injuries, etc. With the aim evaluating the efficacy of this cream in paediatric urology a prospective study was conducted in 15 boys undergoing release of balanopreputial adherences and 5 girls undergoing venous catheterizations. Following topical application of the cream and a 90 min median occlusion time, an 80% efficacy level was observed in both groups. Considering these results, which are similar to those seen in the literature, we believe that this compound is useful for ordinary practice.