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[Cardiac arrest due to lidocaine]
Masui. the Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology
|October 1, 1989
Summary
Local anesthetic lidocaine (a common pain reliever) can cause cardiac arrest in patients, even at therapeutic doses. This case highlights the critical need for careful monitoring during lidocaine administration.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- A 65-year-old healthy female underwent axillary abscess resection.
- The patient received local infiltration anesthesia with 1% lidocaine.
Observation:
- Significant bradycardia and cardiac standstill occurred shortly after lidocaine administration.
- Resuscitation revealed transient idioventricular and junctional escaped rhythms, followed by persistent bradycardia.
Findings:
- Lidocaine toxicity was suspected as the cause of cardiac arrest due to the temporal relationship and absence of other contributing factors.
- The patient experienced cardiac arrest despite atropine administration for bradycardia.
Implications:
- This case underscores the potential cardiotoxicity of lidocaine, even at doses within recommended limits.
- Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring is crucial during procedures involving local anesthetics to detect and manage adverse cardiac events promptly.