Prilocaine-Induced Methemoglobinemia

Abstract

Local anesthetics are used to anesthetize surface areas in several procedures. The history of anesthesia exposure has been established as an important factor for correct diagnosis. When they are used excessively, some systemic side effects such as methemoglobinemia, respiratory failure, cardiovascular arrhythmias, or neurological manifestations may occur. Methemoglobinemia which usually presents with nonspecific symptoms is a serious entity. It is a rare but severe side effect of anesthetics. We herein present a case of methemoglobinemia due to local anesthesia with prilocaine.