title: An unusual case of trismus and dysphagia.
abstract: At one time the incidence of broken hypodermic needles was a fairly common occurrence in general dental practice. Fortunately the routine use of modern stainless steel needles has all but eliminated this emergency. Occasionally a patient may make a sudden movement during administration of local anaesthetic, particularly in the provision of an inferior dental block. A case is described where this occurred with subsequent fracture of the hypodermic needle. The patient experienced sudden trismus and dysphagia as the needle fragment became deeply impacted in the surrounding soft tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Greenwich District Hospital, London.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McDonogh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005145:Face; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D014313:Trismus / Q000209:etiology*