title: Local anesthetics: uses and toxicities.
abstract: Surgeons are asked to do more and larger procedures as outpatient procedures as the economics of medicine evolve. Indeed, we all carry out procedures on an outpatient basis that only a short time ago we would consider only on an inpatient basis. Further, procedures that had previously been performed under a general anesthetic are now being performed under local anesthesia. A good working knowledge of local anesthetics (LAs) will better enable the surgeon to meet those demands and to do so in a way that will enhance the patient's safety, experience, and comfort. Although the focus of this issue of Clinics is minor surgery, any meaningful discussion of LAs has to go a little further than a 3-mL syringe and a small amount of lidocaine.
authors.affiliation: Plastic and Hand Surgical Associates, 244 Western Avenue, South Portland, ME 04106, USA. ashpls@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harmatz
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local