A double blind randomised trial comparing amethocaine (Ametop) with EMLA was conducted on 679 kids in a New Zealand emergency department. No significant differences were seen in success rate of first-attempt cannulation, skin blanching, or pain scores. However the protocol required an unblinded triage nurse to remove the creams at 45 minutes for amethocaine and 90 minutes for EMLA. The faster acting amethocaine may therefore be more useful in acute care settings.
Amethocaine versus EMLA for successful intravenous cannulation in a children’s emergency department: a randomised controlled study