Topical local anesthesia: focus on lidocaine–tetracaine combination

In recent years, the popularity of aesthetic and cosmetic procedures, often performed in outpatient settings, has strongly renewed interest in topical anesthetics. A number of different options are widely used, alone or in combination, in order to minimize the pain related to surgery. Moreover, interest in local anesthetics in the treatment of some painful degenerative conditions such as myofascial trigger point pain, shoulder impingement syndrome, or patellar tendinopathy is increasing. Numerous clinical trials have shown that lidocaine–tetracaine combination, recently approved for adults aged 18 or older, is effective and safe in managing pain. The present paper gives an overview of the recent literature regarding the efficacy and safety of lidocaine–tetracaine combination use.