QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Résumé Extracto Full Text PDF Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Articles Ahead of Print [Order Reprint] Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Perney, P. Articles by Hillaire-Buys, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Perney, P. Articles by Hillaire-Buys, D.

Transitory Ataxia Related to Topically Administered Lidocaine

Service de Médecine Interne E, Hôpital Saint Eloi, Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier, Montpellier, France

François Blanc, MD

Professor, Service de Médecine Interne E, Hôpital Saint Eloi, Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier

Georges Mourad, MD PhD

Professor, Service de Néphrologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier

Jean-Pierre Blayac, MD PhD

Professor, Centre Régionnal de Pharmacovigilance, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier

Dominique Hillaire-Buys, MD PhD

Centre Régionnal de Pharmacovigilance, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier

Reprints: Pascal Perney MD, Service de Médecine Interne E, Hôpital Saint Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295 Montpellier cedex 5, France, fax (33) 04 67 33 78 69, p-perney{at}chu-montpellier.fr

OBJECTIVE: To report 2 cases of transitory cerebellar ataxia related to lidocaine administered topically for endoscopy.

CASE SUMMARIES: Two patients developed transitory cerebellar ataxia a few minutes after local anesthesia using lidocaine 10% spray and lidocaine 2% orally for a bronchoscopy and transesophageal echocardiography. This effect completely disappeared in 3–5 hours. In neither case was an alternate etiology of cerebellar ataxia identified. The second patient had previously experienced a similar reaction to lidocaine.

DISCUSSION: Several central neurologic effects of lidocaine have been reported, but until now, only few cases of cerebellar ataxia. In these 2 cases, the Naranjo probability scale indicated that a probable and a highly probable relationship existed between lidocaine administration and the transitory cerebellar ataxia.

CONCLUSIONS: Cerebellar ataxia may occur after local anesthesia with lidocaine; therefore, care must be taken to avoid overdose, even when administered topically.

Key Words: ataxia, cerebellar syndrome, lidocaine, topical administration

Published Online, March 23, 2004. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1D494