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Lidocaine Versus Diphenhydramine to Achieve Local Anesthesia for Laceration Repairs

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Lacerations requiring one layer of sutures
* Lacerations appropriate for repair by emergency physicians

Exclusion Criteria:

* Active bleeding from laceration
* Complex lacerations requiring multiple layers
* Lacerations to be repaired by a specialist service
* Patients with allergies to either diphenhydramine or lidocaine
* Laceration repairs would benefit from the use of epinephrine as an additive to the local anesthetic

About the study

Diphenhydramine, when injected locally, has been shown to achieve a certain level of local anesthesia. It has been documented for use in simple bedside procedures, however there is a gap in knowledge in its comparison to lidocaine. The purpose of the study is to determine if local infiltration of diphenhydramine is noninferior to the use of lidocaine 1% when trying to achieve local anesthesia for simple laceration repair. Patients who present to the emergency department with a simple laceration will be enrolled in the study. Patients will be evaluated for the pain of the injection as well as the pain of the laceration repair procedure post injection.

What is being tested

• Lidocaine (drug)
• Diphenhydramine (drug)

Sponsor: Florida Atlantic University · Participants: 100 · Started: Sep 3, 2025

Contact the study team

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06910241

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.