Purpose: The aim of the present randomized study was to evaluate the efficacy of lidocaine gel compared with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with lidocaine for transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy in patients with anorectal pathologies.
Patients and methods: Sixty-two patients were randomly divided into two equal groups. Group 1 was given 10 mL of 2% lidocaine gel intrarectally 10 minutes before the biopsy. Group 2 was given 10 mL of intrarectal 40% DMSO with an amount of lidocaine equal to that in the lidocaine gel 10 minutes before the procedure. The degree of pain was rated by patients using a 10-point visual analog scale.
Results: The pain scores for probe insertion were significantly lower for group 2 (3.15 +/- 1.41) than for group 1 (4.58 +/- 160) (P = 0.01). No significant differences were found between the pain scores of the two groups for biopsy-needle insertion (P = 0.62).
Conclusions: Dimethylsulfoxide with lidocaine instilled into the rectum is a simple, safe, rapid-acting, and effective method of anesthesia delivery before TRUS-guided prostate biopsy in patients with anorectal pathologies.