UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: Local Anesthetics

Keywords: lidocaine, allergic reaction, toxicity (PubMed Search)

Posted: 8/16/2007 by Fermin Barrueto, MD (Updated: 4/24/2024)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD

- Allergic reactions are extremely rare to local anesthetics but may occur with the "Amides". - If they occur, it is more likely due to a preservative found in some multi-dose vials: methylparaben. - Either switch to a single dose vial without preservative or change to an "Ester" where there is no cross-reactivity Amides: Bupivacaine, Etidocaine, Lidocaine, Mepivacaine, Prilocaine, Ropivacaine Esters: Chloroprocaine, cocaine, procaine, tetracaine