Efficacy of TAC topical anesthetic for repair of pediatric lacerations
W. A. Bonadio and V. Wagner
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53233.
A prospective evaluation of 103 consecutive children who received TAC
(tetracaine, epinephrine [adrenaline], cocaine) liquid topical anesthetic
for the repair of their minor dermal lacerations was performed. A unique
method of TAC application was used that consisted of applying the
medication to the inner margins of the wound cavity and allowing it to
stand for several minutes prior to the application of a TAC-saturated gauze
pad to the wound surface. Of 670 sutures placed, 637 (95%) were done
without eliciting pain. The TAC topical anesthetic was more than 95%
effective in providing complete anesthesia for wounds located on the face
and lip; it was equally efficacious in anesthetizing larger wounds (greater
than or equal to 5 cm in length and/or greater than or equal to 5 mm in
depth). No adverse reactions resulted from the application of TAC. A single
wound healing complication occurred in 103 patients. TAC is a safe,
effective method for anesthetizing minor lacerations of the skin in
children. Its painless method of application relieves patient discomfort
and maximizes patient compliance during the repair procedure, both of which
enhance the accurate approximation of lacerated tissue.
