Lidocaine Patch to Ease Pain of Epidural Placement During Labor
Official title: Prospective, Single-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Evaluating a 4% Lidocaine Patch for Pain During Epidural Placement in Laboring Women
Run by Ohio State University · NCT07700108 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether a 4% lidocaine patch used before epidural placement helps reduce pain for laboring women who need neuraxial analgesia.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 66 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Ohio State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbus, Ohio) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 7, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2029 |
| Study ends | January 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | October 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07700108 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Parturient women aged 18 or older requesting neuraxial anesthesia for vaginal or cesarean delivery who can consent in English.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals who do not respond to topical lidocaine or whose pain is driven by factors beyond needle insertion may not experience benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
In this randomized, double-blind trial, laboring women scheduled for epidural analgesia receive either a 4% lidocaine patch or a matching placebo patch at the insertion site before the standard lidocaine skin wheal. All participants then receive the usual intradermal lidocaine before Tuohy needle insertion. The study measures pain during patch application, skin wheal injection, and needle placement, along with caregiver assessments, pain scores, hemodynamic responses, and patient satisfaction. Conducted at a single center, the trial aims to determine if the patch provides additional analgesia and improves the overall experience of epidural placement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the patch could reduce procedural pain and anxiety during epidural placement for laboring women.
How similar studies have gone: Prior use of transdermal lidocaine patches has reduced procedural pain in other settings, suggesting potential applicability to epidural placement.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Age 18 years or older Parturient women requesting neuraxial anesthesia/analgesia (epidural or combined spinal-epidural) for vaginal or cesarean delivery Ability to provide informed consent in English Exclusion Criteria: Less than 30 minutes of lidocaine patch placement prior to epidural placement Administration of opioids within 4 hours before study enrollment Intravenous magnesium sulfate administration within the previous 24 hours Diabetes mellitus (Type 1 or Type 2) Neurocardiogenic signs or symptoms (e.g., dizziness, lightheadedness, bradycardia, or syncope) during intravenous cannulation Cervical dilation greater than 6 cm (if in labor) Spinal anesthesia Chronic pain condition Opioid use disorder Intrauterine fetal demise Prisoner status
Where it's running
-
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Hospitals
Columbus, Ohio, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ling-Qun Hu
- Email: lingqun.hu@osumc.edu
- Phone: 6142938487
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.