Topical Proparacaine and Suture Removal After Blepharoplasty

To the Editor.  —Many patients complain of significant discomfort during suture removal after blepharoplasty. In an attempt to minimize this discomfort, we evaluated the effect of topical proparacaine hydrochloride applied to blepharoplasty wounds before suture removal.In preliminary, uncontrolled trials on patients who had undergone bilateral upper- and/or lower-lid blepharoplasties, proparacaine hydrochloride was applied on one side only prior to bilateral suture removal. Both the patient and the physician were aware of the side that was receiving anesthetic and the side that was not. The majority of patients reported experiencing less discomfort on the side that received proparacaine.On the basis of these preliminary data, a controlled study was performed comparing proparacaine and a normal saline placebo in 15 patients. Six bottles of solution were made up and labeled a, b, c, d, e, or f. Three of the bottles contained proparacaine ophthalmic solution and three contained normal saline solution.