[Neonatal mepivacaine poisoning following episiotomy]

Two cases of mepivacaine-intoxication in newborn infants following local anesthesia for maternal episiotomy are presented. The accidental direct injection of local anesthetics into the fetal scalp produce acute drug poisoning in the newborn. Seizures, bradycardia, apnea, hypotonia, loss of pupillary light reflexes are the major manifestations among babies severely poisoned. The early diagnosis and therapy of this syndrome permit a more favorable prognosis without risks of perinatal death or neurologic sequelae.