Simplified care of women with prolonged or persistent retention of the placenta: the use of paracervical block. Paracervical block in incomplete abortion using manual vacuum aspiration: randomized clinical trial. Paracervical anesthesia for outpatient hysteroscopy. Outpatient hysteroscopy: a comparison of 2 methods of local analgesia. Comparison of paracervical block techniques during first trimester pregnancy termination. The role and comparison of two techniques of paracervical block for pain relief during suction evacuation for first-trimester pregnancy termination. Randomized controlled trial of mefenamic acid vs paracervical block for relief of pain for outpatient uterine curettage. Pain relief using paracervical block in patients undergoing manual vacuum aspiration of uterus. Paracervical anaesthesia in outpatient hysteroscopy: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Lidocaine versus plain saline for pain relief in fractional curettage: a randomized controlled trial. Paracervical anesthesia for hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy in postmenopausal women. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Double-blind randomized comparison of xylocaine and saline in paracervical block for diagnostic fractional curettage. Outpatient operative hysteroscopy with bipolar electrode: a prospective multicentre randomized study between local anaesthesia and conscious sedation. A double-blind randomized comparison of lidocaine and saline for cervical anesthesia. Paracervical block anaesthesia for the evacuation of incomplete abortion--a controlled trial.
Thirty patients with prolonged or persistent retention of the placenta were randomized to either paracervical block or intravenous cocktail of pethidine and diazepam. When paracervical block worked, the analgesia produced was better than that usually achieved with intravenous cocktail of pethidine and diazepam. From a cost-benefit point of view paracervical block is preferable to intravenous cocktail. No significant side-effects occurred during the trial. To estimate the effectiveness of paracervical block in controlling pain among women treated with manual vacuum aspiration for an incomplete abortion
                A randomized clinical trial was conducted at Nuestra Señora de Altagracia, a maternal and perinatal referral hospital in the Dominican Republic. The sample size was based on a clinical difference of 1.5 points in the level of pain measured with the visual analog scale using 90% power and a sampling error of 0.04. Women who were at 12 weeks of gestation or less with an incomplete abortion were eligible to participate. They were randomly assigned to receive either the standard treatment of care (manual vacuum aspiration for uterine evacuation with psychological support but no paracervical block) or manual vacuum aspiration treatment with psychological support and paracervical block using 1.0% lidocaine. Patients with active infections, severe illnesses, psychiatric disorders, or allergies to lidocaine were excluded. Intraoperative pain as reported by the women and as documented by an external observer was measured.
                Although the paracervical block technique used showed a slight reduction in severe pain, there were no clinically or statistically significant differences in intraoperative pain between the 2 groups (relative risk 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.43, 1.23) with 50% of all patients registering 7 or higher score on a visual analog pain scale of 0-10. However, statistically significant differences were found in each group when comparing the level of preoperative and intraoperative pain described by the patient (P <.001). The manual vacuum aspiration technique and the paracervical block were not accompanied by complications.
                The paracervical block technique used in this study along with psychological support was comparable with pain control using psychological support alone; neither pain management regimen provided sufficient pain control. It is recommended that randomized comparative studies be designed to determine the effectiveness of other paracervical block techniques and the efficacy of the use of analgesics in patients suffering from incomplete abortion treated with manual vacuum aspiration. One hundred seventy-seven women aged 41 +/- 8 (mean +/- SD) years, referred for evaluation of excessive uterine bleeding, were enrolled in an open-label randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of local anesthesia before hysteroscopy in an outpatient population. The patients underwent hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy with paracervical block by 10 mL of 1% mepivacaine hydrochloride solution (n = 87) or no local anesthesia (n = 90) and assessed lower abdominal and pelvic pain according to a 10-point linear analog scale. The mean +/- SD pain score was 4.5 +/- 2.0 at hysteroscopy and 5.2 +/- 2.1 at endometrial biopsy in the 87 subjects given a paracervical block versus 4.9 +/- 2.2 and 5.7 +/- 2.4 in the 90 women not given local anesthesia, without statistically significant differences. Paracervical anesthesia for routine outpatient hysteroscopy in premenopausal women may be superfluous. A prospective, randomized study was undertaken to objectively compare pain tolerance of 2 methods of local analgesia for outpatient hysteroscopy. Patients in group 1 received a paracervical block using 20 ml of 1% lignocaine. Patients in group 2 received a uterosacral block using 2 ml of 2% lignocaine. There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups (p = < 0.65) in efficacy of pain relief. The method used for patients in group 2 reduces time and costs for outpatient hysteroscopy. To determine whether variations in chloroprocaine placement in paracervical blocks influence effectiveness, whether chloroprocaine is superior to saline, and what factors influence pain perception.
                Eighty-two women undergoing first trimester aspiration abortions were randomized to receive 1% chloroprocaine or saline at 3-5-7-9 or 4-8 o'clock positions. Using a 0--10 scale, women rated anxiety, dysmenorrhea, and pain associated with laminaria insertion, paracervical block, and aspiration.
                All four groups were similar in medical and demographic characteristics. Injection position did not influence pain ratings, but women who received chloroprocaine had less pain than those who received saline (6.3+/-2.3 vs. 7.8+/-2.0, P=0.002). Paracervical pain and dysmenorrhea were independently associated with aspiration pain scores (respective regression coefficients 0.49 and 0.26, P<0.008).
                There is no advantage to using a four-site paracervical block over a two-site technique, but chloroprocaine is superior to saline. Paracervical block may not provide adequate anesthesia during first trimester abortion, especially for women with significant dysmenorrhea. This prospective study assessed the role and compared two techniques of paracervical block (PCB) for pain relief during suction evacuation for first-trimester termination of pregnancy following cervical priming with misoprostol. One-hundred and thirty-five women undergoing suction evacuation up to 12 weeks of gestation were randomized into three groups: (a) 5 mL of 1% lignocaine injected at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions of the vaginal vault; (b) 5 mL of 1% lignocaine injected at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions of the cervix and (c) no PCB. Pain scores during PCB, cervical dilatation and during and after suction evacuation were compared among the three groups. The sedation and satisfaction levels were also compared. There were no statistically significant differences in the pain levels during PCB, cervical dilatation and suction evacuation and in the satisfaction levels among the three groups. Patients with a lighter sedation level experienced more pain. In conclusion, PCB did not improve the pain levels during first-trimester suction termination of pregnancy after cervical priming with misoprostol and use of intravenous sedation, regardless of whether the local anaesthetic was injected into the cervix or the vaginal vault. To compare the efficacy of mefenamic acid vs paracervical block for pain relief during and after fractional curettage.
                Between January 1 and July 31, 2002, the authors enrolled 87 patients with abnormal uterine bleeding, who requested fractional curettage at the Outpatient Gynecologic Clinic, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University. A simple randomization procedure was used to distribute the patients into a control group comprising 44 patients given a paracervical block and a treatment group comprising 43 patients given mefenamic acid (500 mg) 2 hours before starting the procedure.
                Pain was scored using a visual analogue scale (VAS range, 0 to 10).
                The median pain scores of the treatment types during endocervical, endometrial, immediately after, and 30 minutes after, fractional curettage were 2.5 vs 3.0 (p = 0.42), 6.5 vs 7.5 (p = 0.19), 4.0 vs 3.5 (p = 0.20) and 1.5 vs 1.0 (p = 0.17), respectively. The rate of complications was 6.8% (3 in 44) in the paracervical lignocaine injection group.
                The efficacy of pain relief for fractional curettage using oral mefenamic acid (500 mg) two hours before the procedure was not statistically different from the paracervical block, but there were fewer side effects. Mefenamic acid should be considered an alternate pain relief during fractional curettage. To evaluate pain relief using paracervical nerve block with 1% lignocaine injection in patients undergoing uterine evacuation by Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) for the treatment of incomplete abortion.
                A randomized double blind clinical trial.
                Marie Stopes Health Centre, Nairobi.
                One hundred and forty two patients were recruited between September and October 1997. The intervention was random assignment to the study group (paracervical block with 1% lignocaine) or the placebo group (paracervical block with sterile water for injection). Intra and post operative assessment of pain was made using McGills and facial expression scales.
                The untreated group experienced significantly more pain than the treated group, especially lower abdominal pain and backache. The pain was especially marked intraoperatively, less so 30 minutes post-operatively.
                Based on the findings of this study, any patient going for manual vacuum aspiration for the treatment of incomplete abortion should be given Paracervical block as it is cost effective, easy to perform and with less side effects. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of paracervical anaesthesia in reducing pain during outpatient hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy.
                Prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
                One hundred women undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy for abnormal uterine bleeding.
                Paracervical block using 10 mL of either 2% lignocaine or normal saline before the procedure.
                Evaluation of pain at different stages of hysteroscopy using a visual analogue scale together with blood pressure and heart rate monitoring.
                Compared with placebo, paracervical anaesthesia significantly reduced the pain only at the time of insertion of the hysteroscope, but not at the subsequent stages of the procedure. However, paracervical injection of lignocaine resulted in a higher incidence of bradycardia and hypotension.
                Paracervical anaesthesia not only fails to reduce pain during outpatient hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy, but also carries a risk of inducing bradycardia and hypotension, which is probably a result of inadvertent intravascular injection. To compare the efficiency of lidocaine with that of plain saline for paracervical pain relief during fractional curettage.
                This double-blind, randomized, controlled trial included 140 women who underwent fractional curettage. Seventy women were allocated to the lidocaine group and 70 to the plain saline group. The main outcome measure was the intensity of pain measured by visual analog scale during and after the procedure.
                The intensity of pain was significantly lower in the lidocaine group than in the plain saline group over the course of the procedure (P = .02), especially during fractional curettage. There were no serious adverse effects in this study.
                Lidocaine is more effective than plain saline for paracervical pain relief during fractional curettage. The anesthetic mechanisms of lidocaine are mechanical distention of tissue and peripheral nerve block. To evaluate the efficiency of paracervical anesthesia in reducing pain and the incidence of vasovagal reactions during diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy in postmenopausal women.
                A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Seventy-two postmenopausal women underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Hysteroscopies were performed by using a lens-based endoscope with a diameter of < 4 mm and endometrial biopsies by using a 3-mm Novak's curette. Ten milliliters of 1.5 mepivacaine or saline solution was injected at the junction of the cervix and vagina (at the 4 and 8 o'clock positions) by means of an appropriate needle before performing the intrauterine procedures. Referred pain was evaluated by means of a visual analogue scale; continuous monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure was also performed.
                Paracervical anesthesia significantly reduced pain at hysteroscopy and biopsy. The incidence of vasovagal reactions was also significantly lower in the anesthetized group.
                Paracervical anesthesia is effective for hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy in postmenopausal women and may be indicated particularly for patients with cervical stenosis, for very anxious subjects and in all situations where pain stimulation could trigger threatening side effects due to systemic pathologies. Comparative study of the level of the reported pain between patients who received xylocaine and normal saline for paracervical block during fractional curettage was carried out in 70 patients in a double blind randomized controlled trial. One group of patients received xylocaine for paracervical block just before the procedure was performed while the other group received normal saline in the same manner. Self-reported pain intensity using visual analog scale was assessed at four time points including the first time point when Allis tissue forceps was applied on the cervix, the second and third time points when curettage was done on the endocervix and in the endometrial cavity respectively. The last time point was evaluated at 30 minutes after the procedure. The results of the study revealed pain occurring in patients in the normal saline group was more severe than those in the xylocaine group with statistically significant difference at the second time point (visual analog scale 4.80 +/- 2.7 in the normal saline group compared to 3.20 +/- 2.4 in the xylocaine group, p < 0.05) and third time point (visual analog scale 8.17 +/- 2.0 in the normal saline group compared to 4.94 +/- 3.1 in the xylocaine group, p < 0.05 ). On the contrary, pain occurring in patients in the normal saline group and xylocaine group was not statistically significantly different at the first time point (visual analog scale 3.62 +/- 2.7 in the normal saline group compared to 3.97 +/- 2.8 in the xylocaine group, p > 0.05) and the fourth time point (visual analog scale 1.34 +/- 2.0 in the normal saline group compared to 1.57 +/- 2.6 in the xylocaine group, p > 0.05). Before this study, there was an idea that normal saline solution could be considered for the paracervical injection solution. The explanation for this was the local anesthetic mechanism may be from distension of nerve capsules rather than blockage of specific autonomic nerves. However, this study showed that nerve capsule distension is not the only factor for pain control in paracervical block. An analgesic agent is still an important factor. The study was designed to compare local anaesthesia and conscious sedation for outpatient bipolar operative hysteroscopy in terms of pain control and patients' satisfaction.
                A prospective multicentre randomized study was carried out in university hospitals and in a private endoscopy unit. A total of 166 women with surgically treatable lesions associated with infertility or abnormal uterine bleeding was considered eligible for the study. Patients were randomized, using a computer-generated randomization list, into two groups. Group A (82 patients) underwent operative hysteroscopy with local anaesthesia. Group B (84 patients) received conscious sedation. Operative hysteroscopy was performed with a bipolar electrosurgical device to cut, vaporize and coagulate. Main outcome measures were pain control during the procedure, the post-operative pain score at 15 and 60 min, and at 24 h after the procedure, and patients' satisfaction rate.
                All procedures were completed within 35 min, the amount of saline used varied from 400-1200 ml. There were no significant differences between local anaesthesia and conscious sedation in terms of pain control during the procedure and in postoperative pain at different intervals. Satisfaction rate was similar in the two groups.
                Both local anaesthesia and conscious sedation can be used for operative hysteroscopy using a bipolar electrosurgical system without significant differences in terms of pain control and patients' satisfaction. To compare bacteriostatic saline and buffered lidocaine for cervical anesthesia to blunt the reported pain during brief suction curettage.
                A double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on women presenting for pregnancy termination procedures. Participants received either paracervical submucosal injections of bacteriostatic saline or 1% buffered lidocaine just before cervical dilation. Self-reported pain intensity was assessed at three time points during and 30 minutes after the procedure.
                Fifty-two of 135 eligible women presenting for pregnancy termination procedures participated in the study. Pain intensity ratings in lidocaine and saline treatment subjects did not differ significantly at any point. Our study had a power of 0.94 to detect more than a 15% difference on the 21-point box scale between the two solutions. Only one patient requested her block be repeated, and she had received lidocaine originally. Furthermore, of those women receiving lidocaine, 11% reported mild toxicity symptoms.
                To minimize lidocaine toxicity for a brief suction curettage procedure, bacteriostatic saline or very dilute lidocaine could be considered for the paracervical injection solution. The local anesthetic mechanism may be distention rather than blockage of specific autonomic nerves when there is no waiting period. This would mean that the term paracervical block could be changed to cervical anesthesia. nan
No technique provided reliable pain control in the 17 included studies. Some studies reported that women experienced severe pain (mean scores of 7 to 9 out of 10) during uterine intervention, irrespective of the analgesic technique used. We concluded that the available evidence fails to show whether paracervical block is inferior, equivalent or superior to alternative analgesic techniques, in terms of efficacy and safety, for women undergoing uterine interventions.