Comparison of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation with Combined Lidocaine and Prilocaine Local Anesthetic Ointment on Pain Associated with Arterial, Venous, Blood Sampling, and Intravascular Access: A Clinical Trial Study

 Pain is frequently reported as an unpleasant feeling during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Using local anaesthetics is one of the common ways to reduce pain. The present study was conducted to determine and compare the effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) with a combined anaesthetic ointment of lidocaine and prilocaine on pain level.

 This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 240 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients at Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah, in 2020. These patients required three procedures including arterial-venous blood sampling and intravenous catheter placement. In each clinical procedure, 80 patients were divided into groups receiving electrical stimulation and anaesthetic ointment in the needle or catheter insertion area. The pain level assessment was done by the visual analogue scale and after the procedures and in 1st, 3rd, and 5th minutes. The time and attempt frequency were also recorded. Independent t-test and two-way repeated measures ANOVA were used for data analysis.

 The pain level in venous and arterial sampling and catheter placement was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The attempt frequency was not statistically significant across different procedures (p>0.05), but the time to perform the procedures was significantly higher in the stimulation group (p<0.05).

 Electrical stimulation can reduce local pain caused by the insertion of a needle or catheter, similar to anaesthetic ointment. Therefore, it is proposed that this method be further investigated in non-pharmacological pain reduction guidelines.