Fatal Accidental Dibucaine Poisoning in Children, ,

Dibucaine is a potent amide anesthetic available in over-the-counter preparations. Compared with lidocaine, substantially lower doses of dibucaine may result in seizures, dysrhythmias, and death. We present three fatal cases of accidental dibucaine ingestion in children and discuss the toxicity, treatment, and prevention of such ingestions. [Dayan PS, Litovitz TL, Crouch BI, Scalzo AJ, Klein BL: Fatal accidental dibucaine poisoning in children. Ann Emerg Med October 1996;28:442-445.]