title: An unusual ocular complication following dental anaesthesia: case report.
abstract: Used routinely by dental practitioners, local anaesthetics are generally a safe and effective means of achieving pain control during invasive dental procedures. Delivery, however, is technique sensitive and the potential for patient complication exists. Although reasonably rare, ocular complications have occurred, often leaving the patient and the clinician in distress. Such reported events have almost always involved tissue responses ipsilateral to the injection site. The current case report presents an unusual event involving involuntary fasciculation or hemifacial spasm and eventual eyelid closure on the contralateral side following a routine inferior alveolar nerve block. Aspects including the patient's history, the observed response, a pathophysiological hypothesis and patient management are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kempster
authors.affiliation: Anatomy, Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghabriel
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaidonis
authors.affiliation: Dental Science, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide Dental Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Townsend
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D020432:Trochlear Nerve Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local
keywords: Anaesthetic; complication; dental; muscle spasm; ocular