The Effect of Liposomal Lidocaine on Perceived Pain in Children During Percutaneous Interosseous Pin Removal in the Outpatient Setting

The removal of smooth, percutaneous pins (Perc Pins), which are used for fracture fixation, occurs once adequate bone healing has taken place. At the Stollery Children's Hospital (SCH), this frequently performed procedure is currently done without anesthetic, making it a painful and uncomfortable experience for the child and their caregiver(s). Liposomal Lidocaine is a relatively new effective and "needle-free" topical anesthetic. The investigators were interested in examining its effectiveness in pain reduction in children undergoing Perc Pin removal. Objective: To determine if Liposomal Lidocaine is effective in reducing pain in a pediatric population undergoing Perc Pin removal compared to a placebo. Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that Liposomal Lidocaine would significantly reduce pain during Perc Pin removal compared to a placebo. Research Design: This was a triple-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial with 281 patients (140 patients each in the Maxilene and 141 in the Placebo groups). Pain measurements, using the Oucher Scale (children) and a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (parents and caregivers) were collected prior to randomization and immediately after Perc Pin removal. Data was analyzed using a Student's t-test and the Wilcoxon signed ranks test.