The efficacy of ondansetron as an adjunct to lidocaine compared with lidocaine pretreatment in reducing pain on propofol injection: A randomized controlled trial

Most people who have had general anaesthesia know about propofol — the white milky injection used to put you to sleep. One common side effect is a stinging or burning pain at the injection site. Both lidocaine (a local anaesthetic) and ondansetron (an anti-nausea medication) have been shown individually to reduce this discomfort. This study is testing whether combining them works better than lidocaine alone. Patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia will be randomly assigned to receive either ondansetron plus lidocaine or lidocaine alone before their propofol injection. Pain at the injection site will be measured immediately after. You may be eligible if you are aged 18 to 60, are having elective surgery under general anaesthesia, are classified as low-to-moderate anaesthetic risk (ASA I-II), and weigh more than 50 kg. People with allergies to either medication or a history of cardiac arrhythmia are not eligible. This small but practical study could improve comfort for millions of patients going under anaesthesia every year.