602538 Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) 1 to 10% by weight of one or more local anaesthetics in base form selected from the group lidocaine, prilocaine and mepivacaine, which local anaesthetic(s) is/are solubilized in 10 to 30% by weight of a polyoxyethylene castor oil (b) 15 to 30% by weight of one or more non-ionic block copolymers of poly(oxyethylene) and poly(oxypropylene) type and (c) water, wherein the pH of the composition is at least the value of the pKa of said one or more local anaesthetics. Also disclosed is the use of the composition for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of pain, particularly during obstetric and gynaecological procedure such as labour, an abortion, application of an intrauterine device, a hysteroscopy, in vitro fertilization or a general vaginal examination.
