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An unusual ocular complication following dental anaesthesia: case report
Author(s) -
Kempster C,
Ghabriel M,
Kaidonis G,
Townsend G
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
australian dental journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1834-7819
pISSN - 0045-0421
DOI - 10.1111/adj.12392
Subject(s) - medicine , complication , eyelid , surgery , anesthesia , blepharospasm , fasciculation , dental practice , dental procedure , respiratory distress , dentistry , botulinum toxin , dental care
Used routinely by dental practitioners, local anaesthetics are generally a safe and effective means of achieving pain control during invasive dental procedures. Delivery, however, is technique sensitive and the potential for patient complication exists. Although reasonably rare, ocular complications have occurred, often leaving the patient and the clinician in distress. Such reported events have almost always involved tissue responses ipsilateral to the injection site. The current case report presents an unusual event involving involuntary fasciculation or hemifacial spasm and eventual eyelid closure on the contralateral side following a routine inferior alveolar nerve block. Aspects including the patient's history, the observed response, a pathophysiological hypothesis and patient management are discussed.