A comparison of the pain perceived during intravenous catheter insertion after injection with various local anesthetics.

This study compared 4 local anesthetics, 1% lidocaine, 1% lidocaine with sodium bicarbonate, 2% chloroprocaine, and 0.5% bupivacaine, in a double-blinded manner for pain on intradermal injection and pain during subsequent intravenous (IV) cannulation with an 18-gauge catheter. The subjects rated their pain, using 100-mm visual analog scales, related to the local injection itself and again after the IV catheter was inserted.