Effect of Lidocaine Gel in Pain Relieving after Episiotomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Perineal pain due to episiotomy is a stressful problem for women and in the first day of postpartum has more severity. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of lidocaine gel 2% in relieving pain after a vaginal delivery with an episiotomy.METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 150 women who had episiotomy received lidocaine gel 2% (n=75) or a placebo (n=75). Two groups were matched for age, pregnancy age, parity, education, nationality, infant sex and weight, kind of episiotomy, consumption of pethidine in labor, persons repair, consumption of analgesic in postpartum. After episiotomy we administered lidocaine gel and lubricant gel for women in experimental and control groups, respectively. Then pain ratings were recorded before the administration of the drugs and at 6 and 12 hr after the first dose, according to a numerical and verbal rating scale. Data were analyzed.FINDINGS: Average pain scores before using lidocaine gel in control group was 2.9±2 and in case group was 3.3±1.8. Twelve hours after using gel mean of pain score was 2.6 ± 2 in case group and 3.6 ± 2.4 in control group (p=0.009). Analgesia used in 6 subjects (8%) in case group and in 15 subjects (20%) in control group (p=0.034). There weren any adverse effect with lidocaine gel uses.CONCLUSION: This study suggested that lidocaine gel is a safe and effective method for episiotomy pain relief in first day of postpartum