Which statement about EMLA cream is true?

• A. Onset around 60 minutes with duration 60-120 minutes; used for curettage, cryosurgery, electrosurgery; avoid deep lesions due to dermatitis risk
• B. Onset around 30 minutes and is used for suturing
• C. Onset around 10-15 minutes and is used for injections
• D. Onset around 120 minutes and is used for chronic wounds

Answer: (A)

EMLA cream is a topical anesthetic used to numb superficial skin for minor procedures. When applied under an occlusive dressing, it penetrates the outer skin layers and blocks pain signals from the superficial nerves. The anesthesia typically kicks in around 60 minutes and lasts about 60–120 minutes after the dressing is removed, making it suitable for short, surface-level procedures.

This explains why it’s used for items like curettage, cryosurgery, and electrosurgery on the skin—these are largely superficial interventions where dermal anesthesia is enough. It isn’t ideal for deep lesions because deeper tissues require more extensive anesthesia, and there’s a higher risk of systemic absorption leading to dermatitis or methemoglobinemia, especially with larger areas of skin or damaged skin.

For suturing or injections, the onset with EMLA would not be fast enough for a quick procedure, and injections typically rely on faster-acting local anesthetics. It isn’t used for chronic wounds, which involve more complex tissue healing than superficial numbing provides.

So the statement describing an onset near 60 minutes, duration of about 60–120 minutes, and use for superficial procedures like curettage, cryosurgery, and electrosurgery aligns with how EMLA is best used and why caution is needed with deeper lesions.