Clinical Research Directory

Determining if the Buzzy® Personal Pain Relief Device Reduces Injection Pain of Propofol as Much as Intravenous Lidocaine in Children

Propofol is a drug commonly used for induction of general anesthesia in children as well as adults; however, propofol can cause pain on injection, possibly more frequently in children. One common method of preventing propofol injection pain is the injection of lidocaine just prior to the injection of propofol through an intravenous catheter. This practice is sometimes, but not universally, effective, and involves exposure of patients to an additional drug. Our proposal is to use a non-pharmacologic adjunct in an attempt to attenuate the pain of propofol injection. The Buzzy® personal pain relief device is an FDA-approved product that provides non-pharmacologic relief of pain from minor painful procedures in children. The investigators propose the non-invasive Buzzy® personal pain relief device might prove just as effective at relieving the pain of propofol injection as the injection of intravenous lidocaine just prior to propofol injection. Randomized groups and a blinded observer will be used in this study of 106 children, with one group of patients receiving a current standard of care for reduction of the pain of propofol injection, that is, lidocaine prior to propofol, and one group receiving the placement of the Buzzy® device above the injection site prior to injection of propofol to reduce the pain of propofol injection.