Curettage of molluscum contagiosum in children: analgesia by topical application of a lidocaine/prilocaine cream (EMLA)

Abstract

The analgesic effect of a lidocaine/prilocaine cream (EMLA) for the curettage of molluscum contagiosum was evaluated in 55 children aged 3-14 years. Five to 25 molluscs per child were covered with a maximum of 10 g EMLA cream one hour before the operation. The pain was rated as either none or slight by 93% of the children while the physician's assessment was 96%. On a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) where 0 represented no pain and 100 severe pain, the median rating by the children was 3 mm. Mild vasoreactions such as pallor, redness or oedema were observed locally at the treated skin areas. The results show that EMLA cream provided effective local anaesthesia for the curettage of molluscs.