Comparison of topical Xylocaine with placebo as a local anesthetic in colposcopic biopsies.

Colposcopically directed biopsies cause discomfort for the patient. Topical lidocaine (Xylocaine) had routinely been applied to the cervix before biopsies performed at the colposcopy clinic of the Ottawa General Hospital. A prospective, single-blind trial was performed to compare the effect of topical Xylocaine with that of a placebo. Patients in both groups experienced discomfort; the median pain score in both groups was equal, and statistical analysis of the results by the Mann-Whitney test showed no difference between the two treatment groups.