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Journal List > Anesth Prog > v.44(1); Winter 1997

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Anesth Prog. 1997 Winter; 44(1): 32–37.
PMCID: PMC2148857
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Pharmacokinetics of EMLA cream 5% application to oral mucosa.
E. R. Vickers, N. Marzbani, T. M. Gerzina, C. McLean, A. Punnia-Moorthy, and L. Mather
Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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Abstract
Plasma concentrations of lidocaine and prilocaine were measured following the application of a 5% eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) topical anesthetic cream to the oral mucosa of twelve subjects. For each subject, a total of 8 g of EMLA was occluded to 18 cm2 of buccal mucosa for 30 min. Analysis was carried out by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and results showed peak concentrations at 40 min for lidocaine and prilocaine. The maximum concentration measured in any subject was 418 ng/ml for lidocaine and 223 ng/ml for prilocaine, well below known toxic levels. No adverse local effects were observed from a 30-min application of EMLA. A follow-up pilot study assessing the clinical efficacy of EMLA for achieving sufficient analgesia for restorative procedures showed that the cream was successful in 75% of subjects tested.
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Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
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