Acute toxic methemoglobinemia following dental analgesia

✍ Scribed by Scott C. Ludwig

• Book ID: 104311879
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 206 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(81)80054-6

✦ Synopsis

This communication reports a case of acute toxic methemoglobinemia associated with hypoxia and general motor seizures following dental anesthesia using nitrous oxide and prilocaine hydrochloride. The dosage of prilocaine hydrochloride used was 5.6% of the recognized toxic dosage associated with clinical methemoglobinemia. The patient had no demonstrable congenital tendency toward methemoglobinemia, suggesting this case may represent a previously unreported and potentially fatal reaction to prilocaine hydrochloride. The etiology of the methemoglobin production, the diagnosis of the syndrome, and the emergency treatment are discussed. Ludwig SC: Acute toxic methemoglobinemia following dental analgesia.