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ANESTHETIC PHARMACOLOGY

A Comparison of Laser-Assisted Drug Delivery at Two Output Energies for Enhancing the Delivery of Topically Applied LMX-4® Cream Prior to Venipuncture

Jeffrey L. Koh, MD, MBA^*, Dale Harrison, MPH, Veronica Swanson, MD^*, Daniel C. Norvell, PhD, and Darren C. Coomber, PhD

From the Departments of *Anesthesiology and Peri-Operative Medicine and Pediatrics, Oregon Health and Science University, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland, Oregon; Olympic Research, Incorporated, Lakewood, Washington; and Norwood Abbey, Limited, Chelsea Heights, Victoria, Australia.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Jeffrey L. Koh, MD, MBA, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Mail Code UHS2, Portland, OR 97239. Address e-mail to kohj{at}ohsu.edu.

BACKGROUND: Laser-assisted drug delivery (LAD) has the potential for facilitating topical anesthesia with reduced onset time.

METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, crossover study we compared the efficacy and adverse event profile of LAD for topical anesthesia before venipuncture using two output energies (2.0 and 3.5 J/cm²).

RESULTS: Mean Visual Analog Scale pain scores were not statistically different (P = 0.57) between the low-energy (mean = 6.7) and high-energy (mean = 8.1) lasers.

CONCLUSIONS: LAD at an energy of 2.0 J/cm² (570 mJ) is as effective, with similar adverse events, as an energy of 3.5 J/cm² (1000 mJ) in facilitating topical anesthesia.

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