Short Term Topical Tetracaine is Safe and Highly Efficacious for the Treatment of Pain Caused by Corneal Abrasions

Summary

The objective of this study was to show that patients with corneal abrasions would experience more pain relief with short term topical tetracaine than placebo, have similar complication rates, and take less hydrocodone for breakthrough pain.

Timeline

Start

2015-01-01

Primary completion

2017-09-30

Completion

2018-09-30

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

paper the overall numeric rating scale pain score after use of the study drops was significantly lower in the tetracaine group (1) versus placebo group (8) PMID 33121832 ↗

Publications

• Background Waldman N, Winrow B, Densie I, Gray A, McMaster S, Giddings G, Meanley J. An Observational Study to Determine Whether Routinely Sending Patients Home With a 24-Hour Supply of Topical Tetracaine From the Emergency Department for Simple Corneal Abrasion Pain Is Potentially Safe. Ann Emerg Med. 2018 Jun;71(6):767-778. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.02.016. Epub 2017 May 5.
• Background Waldman N, Densie IK, Herbison P. Topical tetracaine used for 24 hours is safe and rated highly effective by patients for the treatment of pain caused by corneal abrasions: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Acad Emerg Med. 2014 Apr;21(4):374-82. doi: 10.1111/acem.12346.
• Background Ball IM, Seabrook J, Desai N, Allen L, Anderson S. Dilute proparacaine for the management of acute corneal injuries in the emergency department. CJEM. 2010 Sep;12(5):389-96. doi: 10.1017/s1481803500012537.
• Background Ting JY, Barns KJ, Holmes JL. Management of Ocular Trauma in Emergency (MOTE) Trial: A pilot randomized double-blinded trial comparing topical amethocaine with saline in the outpatient management of corneal trauma. J Emerg Trauma Shock. 2009 Jan;2(1):10-4. doi: 10.4103/0974-2700.44676.
• Background Verma S, Corbett MC, Patmore A, Heacock G, Marshall J. A comparative study of the duration and efficacy of tetracaine 1% and bupivacaine 0.75% in controlling pain following photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Eur J Ophthalmol. 1997 Oct-Dec;7(4):327-33. doi: 10.1177/112067219700700404.
• Background Verma S, Corbett MC, Marshall J. A prospective, randomized, double-masked trial to evaluate the role of topical anesthetics in controlling pain after photorefractive keratectomy. Ophthalmology. 1995 Dec;102(12):1918-24. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(95)30775-0.
• Background Chang YS, Tseng SY, Tseng SH, Wu CL. Cytotoxicity of lidocaine or bupivacaine on corneal endothelial cells in a rabbit model. Cornea. 2006 Jun;25(5):590-6. doi: 10.1097/01.ico.0000220775.93852.02.
• Background Grant RL, Acosta D. Comparative toxicity of tetracaine, proparacaine and cocaine evaluated with primary cultures of rabbit corneal epithelial cells. Exp Eye Res. 1994 Apr;58(4):469-78. doi: 10.1006/exer.1994.1040.
• Background Bisla K, Tanelian DL. Concentration-dependent effects of lidocaine on corneal epithelial wound healing. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1992 Oct;33(11):3029-33.
• Background Higbee RG, Hazlett LD. Topical ocular anesthetics affect epithelial cytoskeletal proteins of wounded cornea. J Ocul Pharmacol. 1989 Fall;5(3):241-53. doi: 10.1089/jop.1989.5.241.
• Background Rosenwasser GO, Holland S, Pflugfelder SC, Lugo M, Heidemann DG, Culbertson WW, Kattan H. Topical anesthetic abuse. Ophthalmology. 1990 Aug;97(8):967-72. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(90)32458-2.
• Background Rosenwasser GO. Complications of topical ocular anesthetics. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 1989 Fall;29(3):153-8. doi: 10.1097/00004397-198902930-00005. No abstract available.
• Background Henkes HE, Waubke TN. Keratitis from abuse of corneal anaesthetics. Br J Ophthalmol. 1978 Jan;62(1):62-5. doi: 10.1136/bjo.62.1.62.
• Background Willis WE, Laibson PR. Corneal complications of topical anesthetic abuse. Can J Ophthalmol. 1970 Jul;5(3):239-43. No abstract available.
• Background Ahmed F, House RJ, Feldman BH. Corneal Abrasions and Corneal Foreign Bodies. Prim Care. 2015 Sep;42(3):363-75. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2015.05.004. Epub 2015 Jul 31.
• Shipman S, Painter K, Keuchel M, Bogie C. Short-Term Topical Tetracaine Is Highly Efficacious for the Treatment of Pain Caused by Corneal Abrasions: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial. Ann Emerg Med. 2021 Mar;77(3):338-344. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2020.08.036. Epub 2020 Oct 27.

Drugs

Indications