INTRODUCTION 

Topical lidocaine is a commonly used form of anesthesia for a wealth of procedures across a large number of disciplines, including laser treatments. It is considered a safer and more acceptable form of anesthetic compared to hypodermic injections; however there have been reports of fatalities following its application. It is well known that above certain serum lidocaine concentrations patients start to experience effects of toxicity such as light headedness, paraesthesia, nausea and vomiting and this can progress to seizures and cardio-respiratory depression, which ultimately can lead to death. 4% lidocaine cream is significant in that it is currently the highest concentration lidocaine with liposomal delivery available over the counter, and therefore was the drug used in this study.

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File	Description	File size
Facial Lidocaine Report		259 Kb