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Hirshburg JM, Diven DG, Edmiston C, et al.
Dermatologic Surgery (2020)

JC: February 2025

This study reviewed lidocaine dosing guidelines and safety considerations in dermatologic surgery, addressing maximum doses, toxicity risk factors, and clinical monitoring. The findings provided updated recommendations for safe lidocaine administration in both standard and extended dermatologic procedures.

Take-Home Messages

  • Current evidence supports higher safe lidocaine doses than traditionally cited, particularly when used with epinephrine in dermatologic surgery.
  • Patient weight, hepatic function, and concurrent medications should be considered when calculating safe lidocaine doses.

Topic

Anesthesia & Pain

Local anesthesia, pain management, nerve blocks

Abstract

Recently, the safety of lidocaine plus epinephrine use in outpatient surgery has come under scrutiny despite its long history of use in outpatient dermatologic procedures and surgeries. To assess the frequency of crash cart and other emergency interventions during Mohs micrographic surgery when lidocaine plus epinephrine is used as a local anesthetic and evaluate patient comorbidities associated with these events. A retrospective chart review was conducted in an outpatient Mohs micrographic s...

Literature review only. This summary is an editorial interpretation and may not reflect the complete findings of the original publication. Always refer to the full-text article for clinical decision-making.