Background & Objectives: Post-episiotomy perineal pain is one of the most common causes of maternal morbidity and is often poorly treated. This study was performed to investigate effectiveness, side effects and patient satisfaction when lidocaine gel and placebo are used.

 Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial a total of 124 women who had normal viginal delivery with mediolateral episiotomy without other complications were randomly selected to receive lidocain gel or placebo. Pain intensity was assessed by numerical rating scale (0-10) after perineal pain in different intervals. Pain relief was assessed by number of pain pills, amount of gel used and the degree of painlessness. Repair of episiotomy was assessed by physical examination on 1 and 10 days after delivery. The data were used to fill out a questommaire. Finally, these data were analysed by SPSS ll (rel 11).

 Results: There was no significant difference in the amount of pain pills taken, the amount of gel used and patients satisfaction between two groups. Regarding the healing of episiotomy there was no significant difference between two groups in the first and tenth day examinations and all wounds healed on 10^th day. Satisfaction of the patients regarding the use of gel was the same in two groups.

 Conclusion: Despite the findings of some similar studies, topical gel of 2% lidocaine was not significantly different from placebo for healing eposiotomy and relieving its pain. But in both groups result of healing on 10 th day postpartum was good. More studies are required to indicate the effect of high dose of lidocaine on pain relief and the positive effects of using gel on wound healing.