Intravenous lidocaine for anesthesia in the lower extremity. A prospective study.

We prospectively studied the clinical applicability of intravenous lidocaine for regional anesthesia in the lower extremity in fifty-eight consecutive patients. The effectiveness of the anesthesia that was obtained for a variety of procedures done at or distal to the knee was rated as excellent or good in 94 per cent of the patients. No significant cardiovascular or neural complications were encountered, and the levels of lidocaine in the blood were well below the toxic range. We attribute the success of this method to the use of a large volume of fluid, double pretested tourniquets, and judicious premedication to delay the onset of discomfort caused by the tourniquet.