Methemoglobinemia in a newborn: a case report

The purpose of this report was to describe a case of methemoglobinemia involving different systemic complications as a result of local anesthetic injection with lidocaine in a 2-day-old female patient. Acquired methemoglobinemia is considered a major, potentially life-threatening complication. There are several reports of this complication related to anesthetic agents, most commonly prilocaine and benzocaine. It can involve patients of different ages, but it is more common in children 6-years-old and younger, particularly those younger than 3 months. Widely used in dental practices for pain management, lidocaine is considered to be one of the safest anesthetic agents. Although rare, complications of lidocaine administration need to be addressed properly, and adequate training in diagnosis and management of these complications should be provided. Providers should weigh the risk and benefit of using these agents.