Effect of a eutectic mixture of local anaesthetic agents (EMLA) on tourniquet pain in volunteers.

We studied the effects of EMLA on tourniquet pain in 10 healthy male volunteers. The tourniquet inflation time which was tolerated was significantly longer with EMLA (46.4 (SEM 3.5) min) compared with placebo (37.5 (2.7) min) (P less than 0.05). Linear analogue pain scores increased in both groups over the study period, but were significantly less in the EMLA group at 40 min (P less than 0.05). We conclude that tourniquet pain has a significant cutaneous component.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes