[Needle breakage: a rare and potentially dangerous complication during local anaesthesia].
BACKGROUND
Needle breakage is a rare complication during local oral anesthesia administration. The authors describe the surgical procedure used to remove a broken dental needle and how to prevent this complication.


METHODS
The authors present the case of a 52-year-old man who was referred by his general dental practitioner for needle breakage during an inferior alveolar nerve block. Surgical management involved localizing the broken needle using radioscopy and removing it under general atomax 00041 anesthesia.


CONCLUSIONS
Today, needle breakage during local anesthesia is mainly attributed to an incorrect anesthetic injection technique. The prevention, investigation, and management of such complication are discussed.
Dojcinovic
I
I
Service de chirurgie maxillofaciale et de chirurgie buccale, département de chirurgie, hôpital cantonal de Genève, 24, rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Genève, Suisse. ivan.dojcinovic@hcuge.ch
Hugentobler
M
M
Richter
M
M
D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*