Open AccessA Case of Methemoglobinemia Thought to Have Been Caused by the Combined Use of Propitocaine and Nitroglycerin During General Anesthesia
Author(s) -
Takayuki Hojo,
Yukifumi Kimura,
Daisuke Ohiwa,
Toshiaki Fujisawa
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
anesthesia progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1878-7177
pISSN - 0003-3006
DOI - 10.2344/anpr-67-03-06
Subject(s) - methemoglobinemia , prilocaine , medicine , nitroglycerin (drug) , anesthesia , local anesthetic
This is a case report of methemoglobinemia presumably caused by the combined use of prilocaine (propitocaine) and nitroglycerin under general anesthesia. Methemoglobinemia is reportedly caused by the administration of prilocaine at a dose of ≥8 mg/kg. Moreover, ≥3 μg/kg/min of nitroglycerin can also trigger methemoglobinemia. In this patient, methemoglobinemia occurred despite neither drug having been administered at the aforementioned doses. Even if individual doses of drugs predisposed to causing methemoglobinemia are low, combined use may increase the risk of methemoglobinemia.