Eyelid TumorPhase 4NCT05294640

Bacteriostatic Saline as a Local Anesthetic in Minor Eyelid Procedures

A Phase 4 study testing 0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic Injection, 1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic Injection and Eyelid Lesion Removal in people with Eyelid Tumor and Eyelid Bump, run by University of California, San Francisco at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record

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Trial summary

The investigators aim to assess whether bacteriostatic saline provides the same level of anesthesia as traditional local anesthesia while reducing pain associated with medication infusion in minor eyelid procedures Read more about this study

Who is it for?: Ages 18 to 110 years
Conditions the study is for: Eyelid Tumor, Eyelid Bump, Eyelid Deformity
What is being tested?: 0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic Injection, 1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic Injection and Eyelid Lesion Removal
Type of treatment: Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 95 participants
Where: 1 siteUnited States
Study dates: 17 May 2022to 21 Feb 2023
Phase: Phase 4
Are there results?: Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

Ages 18 to 110 years
All sexes
No healthy volunteers
Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

Age >=18 years old
Undergoing clinic-based periocular procedure

Who cannot join

Any other topical, oral or intravenous sedating medications given alongside procedure
Allergy to saline, lidocaine or epinephrine
Unable to provide consent due to cognitive impairment

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site

University of California at San Francisco
San Francisco, California, 94158

Other trials in United States

About this study

Read the detailed description

Benzoyl alcohol is an aromatic alcohol that has been used in healthcare primarily as an antibacterial preservative agent in bacteriostatic saline. It has also been shown to have anesthetic properties, and has been demonstrated to cause less pain with infusion compared to lidocaine, while maintaining adequate pain relief. The use of bacteriostatic saline alone as an anesthetic for incisional procedures in the periocular area has not yet been studied. The purpose of this study was to determine whether bacteriostatic saline provides an adequate level of anesthesia for minor in-office eyelid procedures while allowing for reducing pain associated with medication infusion compared with traditional local anesthetic agents. To assess this, the investigators will recruit 150 patients aged 18 or older undergoing minor eyelid procedures including eyelid biopsies, chalazion removal from outpatient oculoplastics clinics at University of California, San Francisco. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion to undergo local anesthetic with either 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine or 0.9% bacteriostatic saline. Primary outcome measure will be pain level on a scale of 1-10 with regards to injection and procedure itself. These will be compared between the two groups. The investigators hypothesize that bacteriostatic saline is superior to lidocaine with epinephrine in terms of pain with injection, but will result in a similar pain level during the procedure.

Conditions: Eyelid Tumor, Eyelid Bump, Eyelid Deformity, Eyelid Abscess, Eyelid Boil, Eyelid Papilloma
Being tested: 0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic Injection, 1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic Injection, Eyelid Lesion Removal
Keywords: Oculoplastics, Local Anesthesia, Eyelid Anesthesia, Periocular Anesthesia
Medical subject headings: Eyelid Neoplasms, Hordeolum

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic InjectionDrug
Following research and procedural consent, local anesthetic injection will be carried out using a standard 1 cc of local anesthetic corresponding to the study arm (0.9% bacteriostatic saline or 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine). Prior to anesthetic administration, the procedure site will be cleaned using standard measures. A 30 gauge needle on a 3 centimeter cubed volume syringe will be utilized. Five minutes will be given for local anesthetic to take effect.
1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic InjectionDrug
Following research and procedural consent, local anesthetic injection will be carried out using a standard 1 cc of local anesthetic consisting of a commercially available mixture of 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Prior to anesthetic administration, the procedure site will be cleaned using standard measures. A 30 gauge needle on a 3 centimeter cubed volume syringe will be utilized. Five minutes will be given for local anesthetic to take effect.
Eyelid Lesion RemovalProcedure or surgery
Following anesthesia administration, patient will proceed with recommended eyelid lesion removal. The procedure site will be cleaned according to standard protocol, and standard technique for lesion removal will be performed, which will vary according to type of lesion but may involve use of Westcott scissors, forceps, #15 or #11 blades or other oculoplastics administration. The exact procedural details will be at the discretion of the surgeon.

Study groups in NCT05294640
Study group	Role	What they receive
Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia	Experimental	Patients receiving bacteriostatic saline as local anesthesia for in-office minor eyelid procedures at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Oculoplastics department Receives: Drug: 0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic Injection; Procedure: Eyelid Lesion Removal
Lidocaine with Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia	Active comparator	Patients receiving lidocaine with epinephrine as local anesthesia for in-office minor eyelid procedures at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Oculoplastics department Receives: Drug: 1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic Injection; Procedure: Eyelid Lesion Removal

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Pain on Injection
Pain on a scale of 0-10 during injection process (0 being no pain, 10 being worst pain ever experienced). These will be patient-reported verbally and recorded immediately after injection.
Measured: 5 minutes
Pain of Procedure
Pain on a scale of 0-10 during procedure (0 being no pain, 10 being worst pain ever experienced). These will be patient-reported verbally and recorded immediately after procedure.
Measured: 10 minutes

Secondary outcomes (2)

Number of Lesions That Needed Additional Anesthesia to Complete Procedure
Number of Lesions that Needed Additional Anesthesia to Complete Procedure
Measured: 10 minutes
Bleeding Level
Physician-assessed level of bleeding after procedure (mild, moderate, severe). These will be physician-reported verbally and recorded immediately after procedure.
Measured: 10 minutes

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

17 May 202221 Feb 2023

First posted24 Mar 2022
Study start17 May 2022
Primary completion21 Feb 2023
Study completion21 Feb 2023

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
Publications (10)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
Other trials for Eyelid TumorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
More trials run by University of California, San FranciscoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design

Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Double blind
Who is masked: Participant, Care provider
Enrolment: 95 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05294640
Sponsor's protocol ID: 22-36276
Status last verified: Jun 2025
First submitted: 8 Mar 2022
Last updated: 8 Jul 2025
Results posted: Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
Data monitoring committee: Yes
FDA-regulated drug: Yes
FDA-regulated device: No
Individual data sharing: No

Publications

Wilson L, Martin S. Benzyl alcohol as an alternative local anesthetic. Ann Emerg Med. 1999 May;33(5):495-9. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(99)70335-5.
PubMed 10216324
Minogue SC, Sun DA. Bacteriostatic saline containing benzyl alcohol decreases the pain associated with the injection of propofol. Anesth Analg. 2005 Mar;100(3):683-686. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000148617.98716.EB.
PubMed 15728052
Patterson P, Hussa AA, Fedele KA, Vegh GL, Hackman CM. Comparison of 4 analgesic agents for venipuncture. AANA J. 2000 Feb;68(1):43-51.
PubMed 10876451
Miller L, Jensen MP, Stenchever MA. A double-blind randomized comparison of lidocaine and saline for cervical anesthesia. Obstet Gynecol. 1996 Apr;87(4):600-4. doi: 10.1016/0029-7844(95)00463-7.
PubMed 8602315
Kruse RC, Kindle BJ, Wisniewski S, Presley J, Smith J, Sellon JL. Local Anesthesia Prior to Ultrasound-Guided Hip Joint Injections: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial of Bacteriostatic Saline versus Buffered Lidocaine. PM R. 2021 Aug;13(8):811-818. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12489. Epub 2020 Nov 23.
PubMed 32935453
Kwiat DM, Bersani TA, Bersani A. Increased patient comfort utilizing botulinum toxin type a reconstituted with preserved versus nonpreserved saline. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004 May;20(3):186-9. doi: 10.1097/01.iop.0000129012.09632.49.
PubMed 15167724
Hunt SV, Malhotra R. Bacteriostatic preserved saline for pain-free periocular injections: review. Eye (Lond). 2022 Aug;36(8):1546-1552. doi: 10.1038/s41433-021-01925-z. Epub 2022 Jan 11.
PubMed 35017698
Yuen VH, Dolman PJ. Comparison of three modified lidocaine solutions for use in eyelid anesthesia. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999 Mar;15(2):143-7. doi: 10.1097/00002341-199903000-00017.
PubMed 10189646
Lugo-Janer G, Padial M, Sanchez JL. Less painful alternatives for local anesthesia. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1993 Mar;19(3):237-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1993.tb00342.x.
PubMed 8383150
Oman KS, Fink R, Kleiner C, Makic MB, Wenger B, Hoffecker L, Mancuso M, Schmiege S, Cook P. Intradermal lidocaine or bacteriostatic normal saline to decrease pain before intravenous catheter insertion: a meta-analysis. J Perianesth Nurs. 2014 Oct;29(5):367-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2013.12.008.
PubMed 25261140

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

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All Eyelid Tumor trials

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Bacteriostatic Saline as a Local Anesthetic in Minor Eyelid Procedures
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05294640
Acronym / sponsor ID: 22-36276
Conditions: Eyelid Tumor, Eyelid Bump, Eyelid Deformity, Eyelid Abscess, Eyelid Boil, Eyelid Papilloma
Keywords: Oculoplastics, Local Anesthesia, Eyelid Anesthesia, Periocular Anesthesia
Phase: Phase 4
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Completed
Enrolment: 95 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: University of California, San FranciscoUniversity, hospital or other
Study start: 17 May 2022 (actual)
Primary completion: 21 Feb 2023 (actual)
Study completion: 21 Feb 2023 (actual)
First posted: 24 Mar 2022 (actual)
Results: Posted 25 Jun 2025

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

Detailed description

Study design

Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Double blind (participant, care provider)
Number of arms: 2

Arm	Type	Receives
Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia	Experimental	Drug: 0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic Injection, Procedure: Eyelid Lesion RemovalPatients receiving bacteriostatic saline as local anesthesia for in-office minor eyelid procedures at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Oculoplastics department
Lidocaine with Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia	Active comparator	Drug: 1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic Injection, Procedure: Eyelid Lesion RemovalPatients receiving lidocaine with epinephrine as local anesthesia for in-office minor eyelid procedures at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, Oculoplastics department

Who may qualify

Ages: 18 to 110 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Not accepted
Age groups: Adult, Older adult

Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)

Age >=18 years old
Undergoing clinic-based periocular procedure

Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)

Any other topical, oral or intravenous sedating medications given alongside procedure
Allergy to saline, lidocaine or epinephrine
Unable to provide consent due to cognitive impairment

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Interventions

Intervention	Type	Arms
0.9% Bacteriostatic Local Anesthetic InjectionFollowing research and procedural consent, local anesthetic injection will be carried out using a standard 1 cc of local anesthetic corresponding to the study arm (0.9% bacteriostatic saline or 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine). Prior to anesthetic administration, the procedure site will be cleaned using standard measures. A 30 gauge needle on a 3 centimeter cubed volume syringe will be utilized. Five minutes will be given for local anesthetic to take effect.	Drug	Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia
1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine Local Anesthetic InjectionFollowing research and procedural consent, local anesthetic injection will be carried out using a standard 1 cc of local anesthetic consisting of a commercially available mixture of 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Prior to anesthetic administration, the procedure site will be cleaned using standard measures. A 30 gauge needle on a 3 centimeter cubed volume syringe will be utilized. Five minutes will be given for local anesthetic to take effect.	Drug	Lidocaine with Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia
Eyelid Lesion RemovalFollowing anesthesia administration, patient will proceed with recommended eyelid lesion removal. The procedure site will be cleaned according to standard protocol, and standard technique for lesion removal will be performed, which will vary according to type of lesion but may involve use of Westcott scissors, forceps, #15 or #11 blades or other oculoplastics administration. The exact procedural details will be at the discretion of the surgeon.	Procedure or surgery	Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia, Lidocaine with Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia

Primary outcome

Pain on Injection
Time frame: 5 minutes
Pain on a scale of 0-10 during injection process (0 being no pain, 10 being worst pain ever experienced). These will be patient-reported verbally and recorded immediately after injection.
Pain of Procedure
Time frame: 10 minutes
Pain on a scale of 0-10 during procedure (0 being no pain, 10 being worst pain ever experienced). These will be patient-reported verbally and recorded immediately after procedure.

2 secondary outcomes

Number of Lesions That Needed Additional Anesthesia to Complete Procedure
Time frame: 10 minutes
Bleeding Level
Time frame: 10 minutes

Results and safety

Results posted to the registry on 25 Jun 2025, as reported by the sponsor. Figures are copied from the record, not re-analysed. Full results on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Participant flow

Group	Started	Completed
Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia	55	55
Lidocaine With Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia	48	48

Primary outcome: Pain on Injection

Time frame: 5 minutes. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: score on a scale

Measure	Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia n = 55	Lidocaine With Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia n = 48
Value	2.8 (2.4)	3.6 (2.6)

Population analysed: Primary unit analyzed was lesions. Because each participant may have been randomized more than once, each participant may have more than one outcome. For this reason, outcome measures are expressed based on lesions rather than participants.

Primary outcome: Pain of Procedure

Time frame: 10 minutes. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: score on a scale

Measure	Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia n = 55	Lidocaine With Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia n = 48
Value	4.9 (2.9)	2.0 (2.7)

2 secondary outcomes are reported in the full results.

Adverse events

Time frame: Monitored for approximately 10 minutes following injection. Other adverse events reported at 0% frequency or more

Group	Serious adverse events	Other adverse events	Deaths
Bacteriostatic Saline as Local Anesthesia	0 of 55 (0%)	0 of 55 (0%)	0 of 55
Lidocaine With Epinephrine as Local Anesthesia	0 of 48 (0%)	0 of 48 (0%)	0 of 48

Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jul 2025.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
Background: PubMed 10216324Wilson L, Martin S. Benzyl alcohol as an alternative local anesthetic. Ann Emerg Med. 1999 May;33(5):495-9. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(99)70335-5.
Background: PubMed 15728052Minogue SC, Sun DA. Bacteriostatic saline containing benzyl alcohol decreases the pain associated with the injection of propofol. Anesth Analg. 2005 Mar;100(3):683-686. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000148617.98716.EB.
Background: PubMed 10876451Patterson P, Hussa AA, Fedele KA, Vegh GL, Hackman CM. Comparison of 4 analgesic agents for venipuncture. AANA J. 2000 Feb;68(1):43-51.
Background: PubMed 8602315Miller L, Jensen MP, Stenchever MA. A double-blind randomized comparison of lidocaine and saline for cervical anesthesia. Obstet Gynecol. 1996 Apr;87(4):600-4. doi: 10.1016/0029-7844(95)00463-7.
Background: PubMed 32935453Kruse RC, Kindle BJ, Wisniewski S, Presley J, Smith J, Sellon JL. Local Anesthesia Prior to Ultrasound-Guided Hip Joint Injections: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial of Bacteriostatic Saline versus Buffered Lidocaine. PM R. 2021 Aug;13(8):811-818. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12489. Epub 2020 Nov 23.
Background: PubMed 15167724Kwiat DM, Bersani TA, Bersani A. Increased patient comfort utilizing botulinum toxin type a reconstituted with preserved versus nonpreserved saline. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004 May;20(3):186-9. doi: 10.1097/01.iop.0000129012.09632.49.
Background: PubMed 35017698Hunt SV, Malhotra R. Bacteriostatic preserved saline for pain-free periocular injections: review. Eye (Lond). 2022 Aug;36(8):1546-1552. doi: 10.1038/s41433-021-01925-z. Epub 2022 Jan 11.
Background: PubMed 10189646Yuen VH, Dolman PJ. Comparison of three modified lidocaine solutions for use in eyelid anesthesia. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999 Mar;15(2):143-7. doi: 10.1097/00002341-199903000-00017.
Background: PubMed 8383150Lugo-Janer G, Padial M, Sanchez JL. Less painful alternatives for local anesthesia. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1993 Mar;19(3):237-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1993.tb00342.x.
Background: PubMed 25261140Oman KS, Fink R, Kleiner C, Makic MB, Wenger B, Hoffecker L, Mancuso M, Schmiege S, Cook P. Intradermal lidocaine or bacteriostatic normal saline to decrease pain before intravenous catheter insertion: a meta-analysis. J Perianesth Nurs. 2014 Oct;29(5):367-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2013.12.008.
Individual participant dataSharing planned: No

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Referral and contact

AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.

Robert Kersten, MD principal investigator

University of California, San Francisco

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 25 Jun 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Pain on Injection (time frame: 5 minutes). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05294640, which also lists 10 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jul 2025.