Respiratory arrest after local anesthesia for outpatient cataract surgery: a dramatic but transient complication.

Mayer, A S; O'Connor, R E · Ann Emerg Med · 1993

case_report · Level V

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Abstract

Retrobulbar injection of anesthetic agents is common practice before ophthalmologic procedures. Rare but life-threatening complications of this procedure include respiratory depression and coma. We present the case of a woman with complete respiratory arrest and unresponsiveness who was brought into our emergency department from a local freestanding surgical center after preoperative retrobulbar anesthetic injection. Subsequently, the pathogenesis, clinical features, and supportive treatment for this dramatic but transient complication are discussed.

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