Efficacy of Propofol Mixed With Lidocaine Versus Lidocaine Followed By Propofol To Reduce Injection Pain Due To Propofol In Patients Undergoing General Anaesthesia

Abstract

Introduction: Propofol is widely used for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia and possesses many characteristics of an ideal anaesthetic. A disadvantage of propofol is pain on injection, which is sometimes very distressing to patients. Many different methods have been proposed to reduce the incidence and severity of this adverse effect of propofol. Objective: To determine the efficacy of premixed inj lidocaine and propofol versus separately giving them, for reducing propofol injection pain. Study Design: Randomized clinical trial. Place and duration of study: Study was conducted in main operation theatre Combined Military Hospital Peshawar over a period of six months from 1st July 2010 to 31st Dec 2010. Methodology:  One hundred and twenty patients in ASA I & II were enrolled by non probability consecutive sampling, who were scheduled for different elective surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. The patients were randomized into two groups (A and B). Patients of Group A   received pretreatment with lidocaine 2% (0.5 mg/kg body weight) followed by inj propofol 1% (2mg/kg body weight).Group B received premixed inj propofol with lidocaine on similar weight base doses. Results: In group-A pain was reported by 19 patients (30.9%) and in group B pain developed in 6 patients (9.7%) (P=0.003). Conclusion Premixed Propofol and lidocaine was more effective in reducing propofol induced pain incidence on injection than giving these two injections separately.