Adverse Local Anesthetic Reaction: Confirming the Cause.

Wong, Elise Y. W.

A report of a 38-year-old female with a history of local anesthetic hypersensitivity and positive allergy test to articaine but not mepivacaine is presented. Recurrent swelling and rash after a medical procedure using alternate local anesthetics led both patient and family physician to suspect a universal local anesthetic 'allergy.' Further investigation including consultation with an allergist suggested a diagnosis of chronic urticaria irrelevant to local anesthetic agents. Common adverse reactions associated with local anesthesia are reviewed. Dentists are encouraged to be familiar with various reaction manifestations and management. Patients who exhibit drug reactions should not necessarily be mislabelled 'allergic' without a proper history or referral investigation as necessary dental care could otherwise be significantly delayed.

DRUG allergy; DRUG side effects; ANESTHETICS; URTICARIA; DENTAL care; DIAGNOSIS

Ontario Dentist, 2009, Vol 86, Issue 10, p20

0300-5275

Academic Journal