Use of Phenol as a Local Anaesthetic for Adult Grommet Insertion in Resource-Limited Settings: A Preliminary Report

Background. Grommet insertion is one of the most commonly performed minor surgical procedures in otolaryngological practice. For such minor procedures in the outpatient, local anaesthetics are preferred; this is even more so in adults especially for grommet insertion. This study described our experience with the use of phenol as a local anaesthetic agent for grommet insertion in adults. Methods. Phenol was used as a local anaesthetic agent that was applied topically for grommet insertion in adult patients as outpatient procedures between January and September 2018 in two tertiary hospitals. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS IBM) version 23.0 computer software. Results. Nineteen ear drums were operated in patients aged between 20 and 52 years. No pain or discomfort was reported by 89.5% and 94.7% had no bleeding. There was no vertigo in all the cases that completed the procedures. Conclusion. This preliminary result shows that the use of phenol as a topical local anesthetic is simple, safe, and effective especially in resource-limited environments.