Our experience with EMLA Cream (for painless venous cannulation in children).

The local analgesic efficacy of EMLA Cream (a eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine; Astra Pharmaceuticals, Sweden) in reducing the pain at Venous cannulation was investigated in a randommized blind study in 75 children scheduled for elective surgery. In 25 children placebo cream and in 50 children, EMLA cream was applied at the site of venous cannulation 1 hour prior. EMLA Cream was found to be highly effective (84% patients in contrast to 16% patients in placebo group; P less than 0.005). Local side effects of EMLA Cream were negligible.