Use of lipid emulsion therapy in local anesthetic overdose

The use of intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) therapy as antidote in systemic toxicity of certain agents has gained widespread support. There are increasing data suggesting use of ILE in reversing from local anesthetic-induced systemic toxicity severe, life-threatening cardiotoxicity, although findings are contradictory. Efficiency of ILE was demonstrated in animal studies in the treatment of severe impairment of cardiac functions, via a mechanism for trapping lipophilic drugs in an expanded plasma lipid compartment (“lipid sink”). In patients with hemodynamic compromise and/or cardiovascular collapse due to lipid-soluble agents, ILE may be considered for resuscitation in the acute setting by emergency physicians. The most common adverse effects from standard ILE include hypertriglyceridemia, fat embolism, infection, vein irritation, pancreatitis, electrolyte disturbances and allergic reactions. The advantages of ILE include an apparent wide margin of safety, relatively low cost, long shelf-life, and ease of administration.