title: Transitory ataxia related to topically administered lidocaine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report 2 cases of transitory cerebellar ataxia related to lidocaine administered topically for endoscopy. case summaries: Two patients developed transitory cerebellar ataxia a few minutes after local anesthesia using lidocaine 10% spray and lidocaine 2% orally for a bronchoscopy and transesophageal echocardiography. This effect completely disappeared in 3-5 hours. In neither case was an alternate etiology of cerebellar ataxia identified. The second patient had previously experienced a similar reaction to lidocaine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several central neurologic effects of lidocaine have been reported, but until now, only few cases of cerebellar ataxia. In these 2 cases, the Naranjo probability scale indicated that a probable and a highly probable relationship existed between lidocaine administration and the transitory cerebellar ataxia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebellar ataxia may occur after local anesthesia with lidocaine; therefore, care must be taken to avoid overdose, even when administered topically.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne E, Hôpital Saint Eloi, Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier, Montpellier, France. p-perney@chu-montpellier.fr
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perney
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mourad
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Blayac
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hillaire-Buys
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine