title: Brainstem anesthesia presenting as dysarthria.
abstract: After having a retrobulbar injection for anesthesia before cataract surgery, a patient developed dysarthria. This was the presenting sign for penetration of the optic nerve sheath by the retrobulbar injection, with subsequent brainstem anesthesia. Thereafter, the patient demonstrated cranial nerve dysfunctions with tongue deviation, tachycardia, hypertension, and contralateral sixth and third nerve palsies. I believe this is the first documented case in which dysarthria is the presenting sign for brainstem anesthesia resulting from a retrobulbar injection.
authors.affiliation: Section of Ophthalmology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756-0001, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Rosen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000009:adverse effects; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries
chemical_list: D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine; D002045:Bupivacaine