Topical anaesthetic applied at triage reduced treatment time in children presenting to the emergency department with minor lacerations
Q In children with simple lacerations, does application of topical local anaesthesia at triage reduce total treatment time in the emergency department (ED)?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
concealed.
Blinding:
blinded (patients and physicians deciding on the method of wound repair and need for sedation or anaesthesia).
Follow up period:
to discharge.
Setting:
an urban paediatric ED in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Patients:
183 children who were 1–10 years of age (mean age 4 y, 61% boys)* and had simple lacerations that might require wound repair under local anaesthesia. Exclusion criteria: wounds involving the digits, ears, penis, nose, or mucous membranes; wounds close to the eye; deep wounds involving bone, cartilage, tendon, or muscles; wounds >6 hours old; anaesthetic application or infiltration of wound before ED …
