Common harms

Common harms associated with all local anaesthetic techniques include:

• systemic toxicity
• allergic reactions to the local anaesthetic or excipients in the preparation
• allergic reactions are more common with ester anaesthetics (eg tetracaine [amethocaine])
• contact allergy to the adhesive in topical local anaesthetic patches
• local adverse effects
• paraesthesia and prolonged anaesthesia
• permanent nerve damage—rare but may occur if nerves are exposed to high concentrations for a prolonged period of time
• inadvertent intravascular injection.

For additional harms associated with regional blocks, see here.

For additional harms associated with neuraxial blocks, see here.