The impact of topical lidocaine on pain level assessment during and after vacuum-assisted closure dressing changes: a double-blind, prospective, randomized study.

During the initial vacuum-assisted closure dressing change, 0.2% lidocaine administered through the suction tubing led to a reduction in pain reported by the patients in the authors' study. The duration of lidocaine administered in this fashion may be fairly short, because more patients in this group began to request small doses of opiates 30 minutes after the dressing change. Thus, lidocaine may improve patient comfort during vacuum-assisted closure therapy.