Dripped Lidocaine: A Novel Approach to Needleless Anesthesia for Mucosal Lacerations

Abstract Background Oral lacerations represent a unique challenge for anesthesia in the emergency department. Many options exist for local anesthesia, but these options are often associated with pain from injections or anxiety from anticipated needle injection. Case Series We introduce a novel and needleless approach to achieving local anesthesia for oral mucosa repair by dripping injectable lidocaine directly onto mucosal wounds prior to repair. This method is well tolerated and achieves appropriate anesthesia without undesirable side effects. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Dripped injectable lidocaine may be an alternative method for mucosal anesthesia in the pediatric population.