Efficacy of the Topical 5% Lidocaine Medicated Plaster in the Treatment of Chronic Post-Thoracotomy Neuropathic Pain

Abstract

Aim: To assess the efficacy of the topical 5% lidocaine medicated plaster (Versatis^®, Grünenthal GmbH, Aachen, Germany) in patients with post-thoracotomy neuropathic pain. Patients & methods: Patients were randomized to receive the topical 5% lidocaine medicated plaster (n = 33) or non-medicated placebo plasters (n = 30) for 12 h every day for 8 weeks. Laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) were measured, and various questionnaires/scales completed. Results: Numeric Rating Scale pain scores improved significantly (p < 0.01) more in topical 5% lidocaine medicated plaster than in placebo recipients. The same was true for N2 and P2 LEP latency and amplitude, and other parameters. Conclusion: The study included neurophysiological findings and confirmed the efficacy of the topical 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in patients with chronic post-thoracotomy neuropathic pain.

KEYWORDS:

• 5% lidocaine medicated plaster
• laser-evoked potentials
• neuropathic pain
• post-thoracotomy pain

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Medical writing assistance, under the direction of the authors, was provided by DP Figgitt and D Murdoch, Content Ed Net. Funding for this support was provided by Grünenthal GmbH, Aachen, Germany.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.