Abstract
The use of local anaesthesia has been advocated by most pediatric surgeons in order to cut down hospitalization costs as well as to avoid general anaesthesia. In 1992, 26 patients aged 4 to 14 years (avg. 8 years) underwent small surgical procedures with local anesthesia, obtained by the application of EMLA cream 60 to 120 minutes prior to the procedure. EMLA cream is aneutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine with a meeting point at a lesser temperature than the two compounds separately. In this way, concentration of anaesthetics increases up to 80% in the emulsion droplets. This preparation enables small operations to be performed under local anaesthesia even in small children who can be safely treated as outpatients. Disadvantages due to the long time necessary for optimal action can be overcome by application of the cream at home by the parents themselves.
Translated title of the contribution | Applications of EMLA 5% in pediatric outpatient surgery. |
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Original language | Italian |
Pages (from-to) | 529-532 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Minerva Pediatrica |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 12 |
State | Published - 1993 |
Keywords
- anaesthesia, local
- outpatient surgery
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health