The use of EMLA cream reduces the pain of skin puncture associated with caudal block in children.

Background: Caudal block is a popular regional anesthesia in children undergoing infraumbilical surgeries including inguinal hernia repair and orchiopexy. We evaluated the efficacy of eutectic mixture of local anesthetic (EMLA) cream for reducing needle insertion pain during caudal block in pediatric patients.

Methods: Forty-one children between the ages of 13 months and 5 years undergoing infraumbilical surgery were randomized to receive either topical EMLA or placebo cream over the sacral hiatus one hour before caudal block.