Lidocaine and Neuroma Pain Related Modalities

Patients were recruited by using a postal follow up questionnaire . The number of enrolled subjects in this study- 16 patients, Study design

• The patients visited the Pain Clinic twice.
• The same investigator (AM) performed all study procedure assessments.
• Neuroma was localized by Tinel's sign 14 and when possible (7 patients out of 16), the localization of a neuroma was verified by ultrasound.

Administration of study drug The patients were randomized by a computer generated random list to receive either 1ml lidocaine 0.5% (A) or 1 ml 0.1% (B-control) injected perineuromally.

Pain assessments Duration of the present pain condition was recorded. The patients were asked to rate the mean, maximum, minimum pain intensity of their spontaneous and evoked pain in the week prior to both visits. The pain score was measured from baseline until 60 min after injection. Assessments of pain were done post injection at 15 s, 30 s, 1 min, and at 5-min intervals for the first 30-min post injection and then every 10-min to 1 hr post injection. The assessments of pain were performed between the limbs in the following order: spontaneous pain, then assessment of dynamic mechanical allodynia and then pinprick hyperalgesia.

Spontaneous pain Evaluation of sensory function was performed in the affected limb using bedside examination according to EFNS (European Federation of Neurological Societies)guidelines: light touch, pinprick sense, warmth (40°) and cold (25°) temperature stimuli were tested.