Subcutaneous injection of lidocaine around ischemic ankle provides safe and effective foot analgesia in patients with critical limb ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: It is often difficult to alleviate foot pain associated with critical limb ischemia (CLI) using common analgesics. Neuraxial block is contraindicated in anticoagulant therapy. This study was designed to determine the response to subcutaneous injection of lidocaine around the network of peripheral nerves around the ankle in patients with CLI pain on anticoagulants and antiplatelets.

METHODS: Sixteen patients with CLI pain in the foot were enrolled in this double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. Patients were randomized to receive either 2% lidocaine or saline via catheters inserted into the subcutaneous area around the ankle. After recurrence of pain, the patients were crossed over to receive the alternative treatment. Pain was assessed with a numerical rating scale (NRS) before and 15 min after injection. Patients used a descriptive scale to grade pain control and were asked to determine the duration of analgesia in each arm of the study.

RESULTS: No serious complications including protracted bleeding occurred. Lidocaine significantly decreased the NRS on movement from 10 (6, 10) [median (range)] to 2 (0, 10) ( p < .001), and the differences in the Δ change in NRS between lidocaine and placebo were significant ( p = .009). Of the 16 patients, 14 patients were very satisfied after lidocaine but only one described the same after saline. The effect of lidocaine and placebo lasted 11 (0, 28) and 1 (0, 22) h, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Subcutaneous injection of lidocaine around the ischemic ankle affectively alleviated pain in patients with CLI without serious adverse effects under anticoagulant therapy.