TOPICAINE® TOPICAL ANESTHETIC GEL FOUND USEFUL AS PREMEDICATION TO REDUCE DISCOMFORT DURING SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY

July 22, 2008. Released today are the results of an independent clinical study conducted at the St Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute by Colleen Lambertz, MSN, MBA, FNP; Chistopher Johnson, MPH; Paul Montgomery, MD; and James Maxwell, MD; published on the prestigious peer reviewed magazine Radiology (Read the study at: Radiology 2008, 10.1148)

The conclusions of this double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 418 women aged 32-89 years who expected substantial discomfort with screening mammography was that premedication with 4% lidocaine gel (TOPICAINE®) significantly reduced discomfort. Most importantly the study also found that reduced discomfort may improve the likelihood of future mammographic screening and early detection of breast cancer.

Also issued today is a press release tittled "Over-the-Counter Anesthetic Gel Puts the Squeeze on Mammogram Pain" by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (RSNA) a professional membership society committed to excellence in patient care through education and research. More than 41,000 medical imaging professionals are members of RSNA, including radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and allied scientists. To read the press release click here.

The RSNA press release included a video that demonstrated how TOPICAINE® topical anesthetic was utilized in this study. To watch the video click here. (Note: it may take a few minutes to load)

The Good Morning America show from ABC news reported on this study; to watch the video and read the story click here

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The use of an over-the-counter topical anesthetic such as TOPICAINE® as preventative of pain of mammography is not an indication that is included in the FDA Monograph for topical anesthetics. It constitutes, therefore, an “off-label” use and should only be done under the supervision and recommendation of a medical professional. Call your doctor or nurse practitioner for advice.