title: Neuropathy after bupivacaine (Marcaine) wrist and metacarpal nerve blocks.
abstract: A series of 49 wrist and metacarpal blocks were done with the use of 0.25% or 0.5% bupivacaine in 44 patients for surgical and therapeutic purposes. Seven patients developed hypesthesia in the blocked nerve distribution lasting from 1 week to 4 months. One patient had pain and a positive Tinel sign in a dorsal branch of a digital nerve lasting 2 1/2 months. Since no neuropathies were reported in large series of nerve blocks with bupivacaine in other anatomic areas, it is postulated that bupivacaine in anatomically confined areas can cause a transient neuropathy possibly caused by a large local dose of the drug.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000294:innervation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D014953:Wrist / Q000294:innervation
chemical_list: D002045:Bupivacaine