Keywords
Cryotherapy
Pain Measurement
Venipuncture
Vibration
Child
Pediatrics
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction and objectives. Buzzy (Pain Care Labs, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) is a device that applies cold and vibration to the skin, considered a non-pharmacological analgesia strategy. The aim was to evaluate whether Buzzy® is effective for venipuncture, a common invasive procedure in pediatric hospital practice.
Patients and methods. A randomized clinical trial was conducted including children aged 3 to 14 years who attended the Pediatric Emergency Department of a tertiary hospital and required venipuncture. Six CE-marked Buzzy devices were available. Anxiety was assessed before the procedure; pain and satisfaction scales were applied after venipuncture.
Results. Sixty-one patients were included: Buzzy® group (n = 30) and non-Buzzy group (n = 31). Fifty-nine percent were male. Mean age was 8.49 years (SD 3.5). A significant reduction in pain was observed in the Buzzy® group (p = 0.038). No differences were found in pre-procedure anxiety, satisfaction, or procedure time. Compared with previous venipunctures without Buzzy®, lower pain was observed (p = 0.001).
Conclusions. The use of Buzzy modestly reduced pain during venipuncture in our sample. This difference was statistically significant, although of limited clinical relevance. Studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.
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