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Series

United States

2005

Otolaryngology

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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Methemoglobinemia Induced By Topical Anesthesia During Fiberoptic Endotracheal Intubation, Matthew C. Miller, Michael T. Gaslin, Kathleen Herb, David Rosen Sep 2005

Methemoglobinemia Induced By Topical Anesthesia During Fiberoptic Endotracheal Intubation, Matthew C. Miller, Michael T. Gaslin, Kathleen Herb, David Rosen

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

Poster presentation at 2005 American Academy Of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA September 25-28, 2005.

Introduction: Although local anesthetics are usually well tolerated, otolaryngologists need to be aware of the sometimes serious adverse events they can cause. The benzocaine containing sprays Hurricaine and Cetacaine are occasionally associated with the onset of life-threatening methemoglobinemia. The specific treatment for this condition is methylene blue.

Methods and Measures: We describe a case report of a 48 year old female who developed a methemoglobin level of 41% after receiving topical benzocaine to her oropharynx. We discuss the case in …