Lidocaine 5% patch in the treatment of localized neuropathic pain due to nerve compression. Case reports

Liggieri, André; Palladini, Mariana

doi:10.5935/2595-0118.20230040-en

HIGHLIGHTS

Neuropathic pain significantly impacts the patient, society and the healthcare system.
The approach to neuropathic pain should be different from the approach to nociceptive pain due to its complexity.
In these case reports, lidocaine patch produced pain relief, with apparent long-term safety and tolerability, although it is not possible to extrapolate to the population itself due to methodological limitations.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Neuropathic pain is a chronic condition with a significant burden for patients, society, and healthcare systems. Due to neuropathic complexity, its management must be different than the one for nociceptive pain. First-line systemic treatments may be associated with dose-dependent adverse events and drug-drug interactions. On the other hand, topical treatments have less systemic adverse events, with the 5% lidocaine transdermal patch being recommended for firstor second line of treatment for neuropathic pain according to various international guidelines. The aim of this study is to present three cases of localized neuropathic pain due to nerve compression managed with 5% lidocaine transdermal patch.

CASE REPORTS:

The cases of three adult patients (>40 years old) with pain or tingling for a long period of time and their outcomes with treatment with 5% lidocaine transdermal patch for a prolonged duration were investigated. All three cases report a significant improvement in pain.

CONCLUSION:

The results of the reported cases revealed that a 5% lidocaine transdermal patch represents an effective, safe and tolerable and noninvasive option for the management of localized neuropathic pain due to peripheric nerve compression.

Keywords
Lidocaine; Nerve compression; Neuropathic pain; Pain

[1] Conflict of interests: André Liggieri has received payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, participation in speakers’ bureaus, manuscript writing or participation in educational events from Grünenthal, Cristália and Hypera Pharma and has participated in the Data Safety Monitoring Board or advisory board of Cristália and Hypera Pharma. Mariana Palladini has received payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, participation in speakers’ bureaus, manuscript writing or participation in educational events from Grünenthal, Mundipharma and Zodiac and support for participation in meetings and/or travel from Grünenthal, participated in the Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board of Grünenthal and holds leadership or position of trust in another board, society, committee or advocacy group, paid or unpaid from SBED and IASP.