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PIPER - Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval

Lignocaine

  • Description and indication for use

    Lignocaine is an amide-type local anaesthetic.  Lignocaine stabilizes all potentially excitable membranes and prevents the initiation and transmission of nerve impulses, thus producing a local anaesthetic effect. It has a rapid onset (one to two minutes following infiltration) and blockade may last from 60 to 90 minutes. 

    Dose

    0.5 mL – 1 mL subcutaneous injection.

    Presentation

    1% in 5 mL ampoule.

    Route and method of administration

    Subcutaneous injection prior to intercostal catheter insertion.

    Side effects

    Nausea.

    Vomiting.

    Hypotension.

    Arrythmias.

    Contraindications

    Inflammation at site of injection.

    Special considerations

    Injection should always be made slowly with frequent aspirations to avoid inadvertent intravascular injection, which can produce cerebral symptoms even at low doses. Careful and constant monitoring of cardiovascular and respiratory vital signs and the patients state on consciousness should be accomplished after each local injection.

    Drug interactions

    Antiarrythmics, Cimetidine, Amiodarone, Anticonvulsants, Suxamethonium.

Disclaimer:  This Drug information was designed for use by PIPER Neonatal. Whilst great care has been taken to check the information is accurate, it is possible that errors may have been missed. Furthermore, dosage schedules are continually being revised and new side effects recognised. For these reasons, the reader is strongly advised to consult the drug companies' printed information before administering any of the drugs recommended in this book.
Most drugs in this document are appropriate only for specialist use in hospitals.  A number of drugs should only be used in consultation with the appropriate Paediatric subspecialist. 

Note: The electronic version of this guideline is the version currently in use.  Any printed version cannot be assumed to be current. Printed copies of this document are valid for