CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM TOXICITY IN A PATIENT RECEIVING CONTINUOUS INTRAPLEURAL BUPIVACAINE

A patient developed signs of central nervous system (CNS) toxicity dur ing treatment of Postthoracotomy pain with a continuous intrapleural b upivacaine infusion. This incident occurred after the patients chest t ube was clamped, without any decrease in the bupivacaine infusion rate . This is the first reported case of CNS toxicity in a patient receivi ng a continuous intrapleural bupivacaine infusion. Possible etiologies of this complication are discussed, as are ways to avoid such a compl ication in the future. (C) 1996 by Elsevier Science Inc.