Pain on Injection of Propofol: Comparison of the Methods of Alleviation

Kim, Dong Hyun; Oh, Soo Won; Koo, Gill Hoi

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Various kinds of methods had been tried to reduce pain on injection of propofol. In this study, the effect of lidocaine pretreatment and that of temperature controlled injections were compared and evaluated its clinical utility.
METHODS
One hundred and twenty patients were randomly allocated into 4 groups after permission. Room temperature propofol was used as induction agent in group P,. In group C, cooling (4 degrees C) propofol was used and warming propofol (37 degrees C) in group H. And room temperature propofol following lidocaine (1 mg/kg) was used in group L. Injection dosage of propofol was 2 mg/kg and injection speed was 2 ml/sec in all groups. In each patients, pain score and visual analog scale were measured and tested by ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
There were no statistical significant difference in pain score among the 4 groups. But in visual analog scale analysis, group L markedly reduced values than the other groups by statistically significant manner (in Duncan grouping).
CONCLUSION
The alleviating effect of lidocaine pretreatment on painful injection was better than that of changing temperature of propofol itself. More over effectiveness, in view of simplicity, we recommend lidocaine pretreatment.