Self-warming liclocaine/tetracaine patch effectively and safely induces local anesthesia during minor dermatologic procedures

BACKGROUND. Dermatologic procedures often cause some degree of pain. A self-warming patch containing lidocaine and tetracaine (L/T) was developed to provide topical local anesthesia prior to painful procedures. OBJECTIVES. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a self-warming L/T patch to provide anesthesia in adult patients undergoing minor dermatologic procedures. METHODS. An active or placebo study drug was placed on adults 30 minutes prior to minor dermatologic surgical procedures in a prospectively randomized, double-blinded manner. Subcutaneous lidocaine injection was available during the procedure as a rescue medication if requested by the subject. Immediately following the procedure, the subjects, the investigator, and an independent observer rated pain intensity and adverse events were recorded. RESULTS. Patient-reported pain intensity was significantly lower in the L/T patch group (p<.001). Investigators and an independent observer rated the pain in the L/T patch group to be less than in the placebo patch group (p=.004 and p<.001, respectively). Forty-nine percent of patients in the placebo group required rescue subcutaneous lidocaine compared with 22% in the L/T patch study group (p=.008). One patient in the L/T patch group reported a transient moderate burning sensation. CONCLUSION. The self-warming L/T patch was effective in providing clinically useful local anesthesia for minor dermatologic procedures in adult patients.