Pediatrics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Topical skin anesthesia for venous, subcutaneous drug reservoir and lumbar punctures in children.
A new topical anesthetic ointment (EMLA, "eutectic mixture of prilocaine and lidocaine was studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate its efficiency in alleviating pain associated with venous, subcutaneous drug reservoir and lumbar punctures in children. Pain intensity was scored by the children themselves, using a visual analogue scale in which 0 corresponded to absence of sensation and 10 to the worst imaginable painful sensation. ⋯ In lumbar punctures (14 children studied, 5.5 to 15.3 years of age), EMLA cream was again associated with less pain (1.9 +/- 1.9) than was placebo (5.6 +/- 3.0, P less than .01). It was concluded that the use of EMLA cream substantially reduces pain caused by venous, subcutaneous drug reservoir, and lumbar punctures in children and may therefore be offered to young patients, particularly those repeatedly submitted to such procedures.
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Questionnaires were sent to 245 North American institutions with pediatric residency programs. There was a 69% response rate. Pediatric emergency care is provided in three types of facilities: emergency departments in pediatric hospitals, separate pediatric emergency departments or combined pediatric and adult emergency departments, in multidisciplinary hospitals. ⋯ There are 27 pediatric emergency medicine programs with 46 fellows in training and 117 full-time positions available for emergency pediatricians throughout North America. Varying qualifications for these positions include board eligibility in pediatrics, certification in Basic Life Support or Advanced Trauma Life Support, and a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine. The demonstrated need for pediatricians, preferably trained in emergency care, clearly indicates that pediatric emergency medicine is a rapidly developing subspecialty of Pediatrics that will be an attractive career choice for future pediatricians.