A Case Study and Literature Review of Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity During Placement of a Dual-chamber Pacemaker.

Abstract

Local anesthetics are commonly deployed for a variety of medical procedures across many disciplines. Systemic toxicity is rarely seen in clinical practice, and quick recognition and how to manage this syndrome are crucial. The development of systemic toxicity is influenced by the site of administration, the type of anesthetic used, and the total dose administered. Local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) syndrome is used as a diagnosis to encompass the cardiovascular and pulmonary adverse effects associated with the intradermal and subcutaneous use of local anesthetics-in our case, lidocaine. We present a case of a 37-year-old man who experienced dysarthria, bilateral arm shaking, and sinus tachycardia following the administration of 70 mL of lidocaine 2% during surgery for dual-chamber pacemaker placement. While some form of allergic reaction remained a possibility, the strongest clinical correlation and diagnosis were attributed to LAST.