The Efficacy Of Intracervical Lidocaine In Outpatient Hysteroscopy

Objective Diagnostic hysteroscopy today is a fast procedure carried out on an outpatient basis but which still causes a certain degree of discomfort to patients. This randomized, double-blind study in which lidocaine is compared to a placebo was designed to evaluate the efficacy of intracervical anaesthesia during this procedure.Design Patients were allocated into two groups: group I consisting of 34 patients who were given lidocaine and group II consisting of 28 patients who were given a saline solution. Both groups of patients were asked to quantify their pain at four different times: T1, during hysteroscopy; T2, during the biopsy; T3, at the end of the procedure, and T4, 30 min after the end of the procedure.Results During hysteroscopy (T1) there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (a median of 2.5 cm vs. a median of 5.0 cm). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at T2, T3 or T4.Conclusions These results suggest that intracervical anaesthesia can reduce cervical sensitivity, as shown by the difference found between the two groups at T1, but is insufficient to block the uterine stimuli resulting from distension and manipulation of the uterine cavity.