Topical aqueous 2% lignocaine eardrops reduced ear pain in children with acute otitis media
F E Babl
Dr F E Babl, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; franz.babl@rch.org.au
QUESTION
Are topical aqueous 2% lignocaine (lidocaine) eardrops effective for relieving ear pain in children with acute otitis media (AOM)?
METHODS
Design:
randomised placebo controlled trial.
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded (children, parents, clinicians administering treatment, and outcome assessors).
Follow-up period:
primary outcome was assessed at 10, 20, and 30 minutes.
Setting:
emergency department (ED) of a children’s hospital in Australia.
Patients:
63 children 3–17 years of age (mean age 6 y, 51% girls) who had ear pain lasting <3 days and signs of AOM (tympanic membrane with erythema, dullness, and bulging appearance). Children with evidence of tympanic membrane perforation, ventilation tubes in situ, allergy to local anaesthetic or …
