Interaction of botulinum toxin type A with local anesthetic agents: an experimental study with rabbits

• Published in: Aesthetic plastic surgery 2006-01, Vol.30 (1), p.59-64
• Main Authors: Görgü, Metin, Silistreli, Ozlem Karataş, Karantinaci, Burçe, Ayhan, Meltem, Ozdemirkiran, Tolga, Celebisoy, Mehmet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthetics, Local - pharmacology; Anesthetics, Local - therapeutic use; Animals; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - administration & dosage; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - adverse effects; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - metabolism; Botulism; Electromyography; Injections, Subcutaneous; Neuromuscular Agents - administration & dosage; Neuromuscular Agents - adverse effects; Neuromuscular Agents - metabolism; Pain - drug therapy; Pain - etiology; Procaine - analogs & derivatives; Procaine - pharmacology; Procaine - therapeutic use; Rabbits; Tetracaine - pharmacology; Tetracaine - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0364-216X; 1432-5241
• DOI: 10.1007/s00266-004-0015-7

Injection of botulinum toxin is a painful procedure, limiting the number of patients treated. This study was designed to establish whether infiltration of local anesthetics plays a role in the effectiveness of botulinum toxin. For the study, 24 New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups. In all three groups, local anesthetics (prilocaine, lidocaine, lidocaine, and epinephrine) were injected into the right anterior auricular muscle before a 2.5-U injection of botox A. The contralateral anterior auricular muscle of all the rabbits was injected with the same dose of the toxin to serve as a control. Photographic documentation was recorded; electromyographic study was performed; and results were statistically analyzed. The results show that local anesthetics do not play a role in the efficacy of botulinum toxin. Thus, the use of infiltrative local anesthetics before botulinum toxin injection is a safe method for achieving a less painful procedure for the patient.