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Allergic reaction caused by articaine
D El-Qutob1, C Morales, A Peláez
1Service of Allergy, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Avenida de Blasco Ibañez 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
Allergologia Et Immunopathologia
|April 6, 2005
Summary
A patient experienced a skin reaction to articaine, a local anesthetic, during dental work. Allergy testing confirmed sensitivity to articaine but not other common anesthetics, suggesting a specific allergy.
Area of Science:
- Allergy and Immunology
- Dermatology
- Dental Anesthesiology
Background:
- Local anesthetics (LAs) are crucial for dental procedures.
- Immediate skin reactions to LAs can occur, necessitating diagnostic evaluation.
- Articaine, an amide LA, is commonly used in dentistry.
Observation:
- A 51-year-old woman presented with an immediate skin reaction post-subcutaneous injection of articaine with epinephrine.
- Subsequent dental procedures were performed without LA.
- Skin prick tests revealed hypersensitivity to articaine but not to lidocaine, mepivacaine, bupivacaine, or epinephrine.
Findings:
- Skin prick tests in 10 healthy controls showed no reaction to articaine.
- A subcutaneous challenge test with mepivacaine was negative.
- The patient's allergy appears specific to articaine.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of specific allergy testing for local anesthetics.
- Identifying specific LA allergies is critical for patient safety in dental settings.
- Further investigation into articaine hypersensitivity may be warranted.