Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of intrauterine lignocaine as an anaesthetic during endometrial sampling.
Design: Prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Setting: Outpatient gynaecological minor operation unit in a public hospital.
Population: Two hundred premenopausal women scheduled for endometrial sampling because of abnormal uterine bleeding.
Methods: Transcervical intrauterine instillation of 5 mL of 2% lignocaine or 5 mL of normal saline before performing endometrial sampling with vacuum aspirator.
Main outcome measures: Evaluation of pain associated with the procedure using a visual analogue scale.
Results: The use of intrauterine lignocaine reduced pain during suction curettage in endometrial sampling.
Conclusions: Transcervical instillation of lignocaine reduced pain during endometrial sampling.