Effect of Local Anesthetic on Hemodynamic Measures During Nasal Surgery

1% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 to 1:200,000 of epinephrine is routinely injected into the nasal mucosa during nasal surgery to reduce patient blood loss and improve the surgical field and visibility. Typically 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 of epinephrine is used in nasal surgery. However, 1 % lidocaine with 1:200,000 (which is a more dilute solution of epinephrine) is also used. This latter dose theoretically should have a lesser effect on cardiac stimulation which increases the heart rate and blood pressure at the time of surgery. The nasal mucosa has excellent absorbing ability which is great for the application of drugs but there is concern for systemic absorption and side effects. Potential serious side effects can occur with local injection such as hypertension, tachycardia, and cardiac arrhythmias. These side effects occur mainly through the absorption of epinephrine. It is the goal of this study to see if a weaker concentration of epinephrine (1:200,000) can maintain a good surgical field with a decrease in hemodynamic side effects.