Bacteriostatic Saline as a Local Anesthetic in Minor Eyelid Procedures

Overview

The investigators aim to assess whether bacteriostatic saline provides the same level of anesthesia as traditional local anesthesia while reducing pain associated with medication infusion in minor eyelid procedures

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Treatment
    • Masking: Double (Participant, Care Provider)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: February 21, 2023

Detailed Description

Benzoyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol that has been used in healthcare primarily as an antibacterial preservative agent in bacteriostatic saline. It has also been shown to have anesthetic properties, and has been demonstrated to cause less pain with infusion compared to lidocaine, while maintaining adequate pain relief. The use of bacteriostatic saline alone as an anesthetic for incisional procedures in the periocular area has not yet been studied. The purpose of this study was to determine whether bacteriostatic saline provides an adequate level of anesthesia for minor in-office eyelid procedures while allowing for reducing pain associated with medication infusion compared with traditional local anesthetic agents. To assess this, the investigators will recruit 150 patients aged 18 or older undergoing minor eyelid procedures including eyelid biopsies, chalazion removal from outpatient oculoplastics clinics at UCSF. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion to undergo local anesthetic with either 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine or 0.9% bacteriostatic saline. Primary outcome measure will be pain level on a scale of 1-10 with regards to injection and procedure itself. These will be compared between the two groups. The investigators hypothesize that bacteriostatic saline is superior to lidocaine with epinephrine in terms of pain with injection, but will result in a similar pain level during the procedure.

Interventions

  • Drug: 0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic Injection
    • Following research and procedural consent, local anesthetic injection will be carried out using a standard 1 cc of local anesthetic corresponding to the study arm (0.9% bacteriostatic saline or 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine). Prior to anesthetic administration, the procedure site will be cleaned using standard measures. A 30 gauge needle on a 3 centimeter cubed volume syringe will be utilized. Five minutes will be given for local anesthetic to take effect.
  • Drug: 1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic Injection
    • Following research and procedural consent, local anesthetic injection will be carried out using a standard 1 cc of local anesthetic consisting of a commercially available mixture of 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Prior to anesthetic administration, the procedure site will be cleaned using standard measures. A 30 gauge needle on a 3 centimeter cubed volume syringe will be utilized. Five minutes will be given for local anesthetic to take effect.
  • Procedure: Eyelid Lesion Removal
    • Following anesthesia administration, patient will proceed with recommended eyelid lesion removal. The procedure site will be cleaned according to standard protocol, and standard technique for lesion removal will be performed, which will vary according to type of lesion but may involve use of Westcott scissors, forceps, #15 or #11 blades or other oculoplastics administration. The exact procedural details will be at the discretion of the surgeon.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia
    • Patients receiving bacteriostatic saline as local anesthesia for in-office minor eyelid procedures at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Oculoplastics department
  • Active Comparator: Lidocaine with Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia
    • Patients receiving lidocaine with epinephrine as local anesthesia for in-office minor eyelid procedures at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Oculoplastics department

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Pain on injection
    • Time Frame: 5 minutes
    • Pain on a scale of 0-10 during injection process (0 being no pain, 10 being worst pain ever experienced). These will be patient-reported verbally and recorded immediately after injection.
  • Pain of procedure
    • Time Frame: 10 minutes
    • Pain on a scale of 0-10 during procedure (0 being no pain, 10 being worst pain ever experienced). These will be patient-reported verbally and recorded immediately after procedure.

Secondary Measures

  • Additional Anesthesia
    • Time Frame: 10 minutes
    • Need for additional anesthesia to complete procedure
  • Bleeding level
    • Time Frame: 10 minutes
    • Physician-assessed level of bleeding after procedure (mild, moderate, severe). These will be physician-reported verbally and recorded immediately after procedure.

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age >=18 years old 2. Undergoing clinic-based periocular procedure Exclusion Criteria:

1. Any other topical, oral or intravenous sedating medications given alongside procedure 2. Allergy to saline, lidocaine or epinephrine 3. Unable to provide consent due to cognitive impairment

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Maximum Age: 110 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: No

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • University of California, San Francisco
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Sponsor
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Robert Kersten, MD, Principal Investigator, University of California, San Francisco

References

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Minogue SC, Sun DA. Bacteriostatic saline containing benzyl alcohol decreases the pain associated with the injection of propofol. Anesth Analg. 2005 Mar;100(3):683-686. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000148617.98716.EB.

Patterson P, Hussa AA, Fedele KA, Vegh GL, Hackman CM. Comparison of 4 analgesic agents for venipuncture. AANA J. 2000 Feb;68(1):43-51.

Miller L, Jensen MP, Stenchever MA. A double-blind randomized comparison of lidocaine and saline for cervical anesthesia. Obstet Gynecol. 1996 Apr;87(4):600-4. doi: 10.1016/0029-7844(95)00463-7.

Kruse RC, Kindle BJ, Wisniewski S, Presley J, Smith J, Sellon JL. Local Anesthesia Prior to Ultrasound-Guided Hip Joint Injections: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial of Bacteriostatic Saline versus Buffered Lidocaine. PM R. 2021 Aug;13(8):811-818. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12489. Epub 2020 Nov 23.

Kwiat DM, Bersani TA, Bersani A. Increased patient comfort utilizing botulinum toxin type a reconstituted with preserved versus nonpreserved saline. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004 May;20(3):186-9. doi: 10.1097/01.iop.0000129012.09632.49.

Hunt SV, Malhotra R. Bacteriostatic preserved saline for pain-free periocular injections: review. Eye (Lond). 2022 Aug;36(8):1546-1552. doi: 10.1038/s41433-021-01925-z. Epub 2022 Jan 11.

Yuen VH, Dolman PJ. Comparison of three modified lidocaine solutions for use in eyelid anesthesia. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999 Mar;15(2):143-7. doi: 10.1097/00002341-199903000-00017.

Lugo-Janer G, Padial M, Sanchez JL. Less painful alternatives for local anesthesia. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1993 Mar;19(3):237-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1993.tb00342.x.

Oman KS, Fink R, Kleiner C, Makic MB, Wenger B, Hoffecker L, Mancuso M, Schmiege S, Cook P. Intradermal lidocaine or bacteriostatic normal saline to decrease pain before intravenous catheter insertion: a meta-analysis. J Perianesth Nurs. 2014 Oct;29(5):367-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2013.12.008. Erratum In: J Perianesth Nurs. 2015 Feb;30(1):85.

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