Date of Award

2020

Degree Type

Selective Evidence-Based Medicine Review

Degree Name

Master of Science in Health Sciences - Physician Assistant

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does vibration anesthesia improve pain tolerance in patients receiving cosmetic facial injections?”

Study Design: Review of three randomized, blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials published between the years of 2011 and 2017.

Data Sources: All studies were published in peer-reviewed journals that were located using PubMed database searches as well as Cochrane Collaboration.

Outcome Measured: Pain reduction was measured using a Likert-type pain scale which was either rated 0-10; 0 was rated as no pain, 5 being moderate and 10 being the worst pain ever experienced. The 5-point Likert-type scale had the patient rate the injection pain as 0 (no pain), 1 (mild pain), 2 (moderate pain), 3 (severe pain), or 4 (worst pain I have ever felt).

Results: All studies showed a statistical significance when comparing use of vibration anesthesia to no use of a vibration anesthetic prior to a cosmetic facial injection. With use of vibration anesthesia, pain scores were 3.82 ± 1.73 in the study by Guney et al., 1.3 in the study by Sharma et al., and 0.9 ± 0.6 in the study conducted by Malley et al. P-values for all studies <0.05.

Conclusion: According to the EBM review use of vibration anesthesia is effective in improving pain tolerance in patients receiving cosmetic facial injections. This method is efficacious, safe, easy to use, and affordable rendering it a useful technique to incorporate into practice.

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