Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
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J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. · Apr 2000
Clinical TrialDepth of cutaneous analgesia after application of a eutectic mixture of the local anesthetics lidocaine and prilocaine (EMLA cream).
EMLA cream, a eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine, is a topical anesthetic, frequently used to avoid pain during venipuncture and superficial surgery. However, the depth of analgesia needs further exploration. ⋯ Skin biopsy punch insertions in steps of 1 mm appear adequate for assessing the depth of cutaneous analgesia. Biopsy punch insertions with acceptable pain can be made to depths of 1 to 2 mm after 60 minutes, to 2 to 3 mm after 120 minutes, and to 6 mm after 3 to 4 hours of EMLA cream application.