An unusual ocular complication following dental anaesthesia: case report

A selection of abstracts of clinically relevant papers from other journals. The abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by John R. Radford.

Abstract

A sympathetic emotional response or an idiosyncratic reaction, but possibly the spread of anaesthetic agent through anastomoses among terminal branches of the external carotid artery.

Main

Kempster C, Ghabriel M et al. Aust Dent J 2016; 61: 374–380

The discussion, which comprises some four pages, gives a comprehensive overview of complications associated with the administration of local anaesthetics, particularly after giving an inferior alveolar nerve block. It is full of horror stories; for example, the '...unusual onset of symptoms 24 hours after the delivery of artic(i)ane...' that only subsided after 8 weeks, and the much vaunted but very alarming complication of transient visual loss following intra-arterial injection leading to spasm of the central retinal artery. This paper reports a case of an unusual contralateral involuntary closure and opening of the eyelids until complete closure, following administration of an inferior alveolar nerve block.