Modified technique of iontophoretic anesthesia for myringotomy in children.

A modified technique is described for iontophoretic anesthesia in children who require myringotomy and insertion of a tube (tympanostomy). Principal modifications include the following procedures: (1) preoperative parenteral sedation; (2) relatively painless injection of lidocaine hydrochloride-epinephrine hydrochloride solution into the external auditory canal skin after iontophoresis alone to eliminate the extreme bony canal wall tenderness; (3) injection of lidocaine-epinephrine solution into an atelectatic middle ear to anesthetize the promontory for painless tube insertion; (4) substitution of a disposable ECG electrode for a metal plate electrode to eliminate the possibility of electrical burn from metal-to-skin contact. These modifications enhance the effectiveness and the safety of iontophoretic anesthesia, minimize the need for general anesthesia, and liberalize the indications for tympanostomy.