A fatal accidental subarachnoid injection of lidocaine and levobupivacaine during a lumbar paravertebral block.
Paravertebral block (PVB) is the technique of injecting a local anesthetic solution alongside the vertebral column, close to where the spinal nerves emerge, resulting in unilateral somatic and sympathetic nerve blockade. Here is reported a fatal case involving a 60-year-old woman with spondylitis arthropathy, who developed cardiac and respiratory arrest 40min after receiving an accidental subarachnoid injection (L5-S1 bilaterally) of depomedrol lidocaine and levobupivacaine. A complete autopsy including histological and toxicological analyses was performed in order to establish the cause of death. Liquid/liquid extraction (LLE) and GC-MS analysis were performed according to a previously published method. Lidocaine and bupivacaine were detected both in blood, at concentrations of 14.8mg/L and 13.3mg/L respectively, and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at concentrations of 287.1mg/L and 464.2mg/L respectively. Both lidocaine and bupivacaine were also detected in the urine. The toxicological findings along with the autopsy allowed us to establish that the accidental subarachnoid injection of lidocaine and levobupivacaine had led to a progressive hypotension and normovolaemic shock caused by a severe ganglionic block, determining the patient's death.
Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: fra.busardo@libero.it.
Francesco Paolo
FP
Busardò
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Luigi
L
Tritapepe
Department "G.F. Ingrassia", Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, University of Catania, Italy.
Angelo
A
Montana
Department "G.F. Ingrassia", Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, University of Catania, Italy.
Francesca
F
Indorato
Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Simona
S
Zaami
Department "G.F. Ingrassia", Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, University of Catania, Italy.
Guido
G
Romano
D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D008508:Medication Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced; D013346:Subarachnoid Space
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D002045:Bupivacaine
Bupivacaine; Forensic toxicology; Lidocaine; Local anesthetics; Paravertebral block