EMLA Cream Volume per Tube
Standard EMLA cream tubes contain 5 grams (approximately 5 mL) of product, which is the most commonly available commercial packaging size. 1
Standard Tube Size and Clinical Dosing
- The 5-gram tube is the standard commercial formulation referenced in clinical trials and guidelines 1
- For most clinical applications, half the contents of a 5-gram tube (approximately 2.5 grams or 2.5 mL) is sufficient for a single treatment site 1
- When applying EMLA for procedures like IUD placement, 4 to 5 grams should be applied to the cervix, which represents nearly the entire contents of one standard tube 2
Clinical Application Volumes
- For venipuncture in children, 2.5 grams (half a tube) provides adequate anesthesia when applied under occlusion 1
- For oral mucosa applications in bronchoscopy studies, 4 mL of EMLA cream has been used effectively 3
- Larger applications to oral mucosa (8 grams total to 18 cm² of buccal mucosa) have been studied and found safe, though this exceeds a single standard tube 4
Important Dosing Considerations
- Thick application is more effective than thin application - studies demonstrate that using 2.0 mL provides superior pain relief compared to 0.5 mL for the same surface area 5
- The cream must remain in contact with skin for 60 minutes under occlusion to achieve full effectiveness on intact skin 6
- For patients under 12 months or weighing less than 10 kg, doses should be reduced from standard amounts 6
Common Pitfall
- Do not assume smaller amounts will be equally effective - inadequate volume application is a frequent cause of suboptimal anesthesia, as demonstrated by comparative studies showing significantly better pain control with thicker applications 5