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Do we necessarily need local anaesthetics for venous cannulation? A comparison of different cannula sizes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2004

K. D. Röhm ,
T. A. H. Schöllhorn ,
M. J. Gwosdek ,
S. N. Piper ,
W. H. Maleck  and
J. Boldt
K. D. Röhm
Affiliation:
Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Ludwigshafen, Germany
T. A. H. Schöllhorn
Affiliation:
Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Ludwigshafen, Germany
M. J. Gwosdek
Affiliation:
Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Ludwigshafen, Germany
S. N. Piper
Affiliation:
Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Ludwigshafen, Germany
W. H. Maleck
Affiliation:
Spital Grenchen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Grenchen, Switzerland
J. Boldt
Affiliation:
Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Department of Anaesthesiology, Ludwigshafen, Germany
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Abstract

Summary

Background and objective: This randomized, prospective study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of a subcutaneous local anaesthetic infiltration prior to venepuncture using different cannula sizes.

Methods: Three-hundred-and-one patients were included in the study, 150 received mepivacaine 1% (0.25 mL) subcutaneously, 151 were cannulated without local analgesia. Patients were further allocated to one of five cannula size groups (standard wire gauge (G)): 20-, 18-, 17-, 16- and 14-G. They were asked to quantify the pain experienced using a four-point rating scale.

Results: In the group without local anaesthetics, 28.8% complained about pain compared to 12% receiving local analgesia. The incidence of pain for 14-G (10%) and 16-G (12.9%) cannulae was significantly reduced in the local analgesia group (P < 0.01) compared to no local analgesia (77.4% and 45.1%). Other cannula sizes showed no difference in pain whether using local analgesia or not.

Conclusions: Patients profit from a subcutaneous infiltration with mepivacaine 1% prior to intravenous cathetherization only when cannulae of size ≥16-G are inserted.

Keywords

ANAESTHETICS, LOCAL, mepivacaineVEINS, VENEPUNCTURE, cannulation
Type
Original Article
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , March 2004 , pp. 214 - 216
Copyright
2004 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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