Sudden unconsciousness during local anesthesia.

This case demonstrates the necessity of adequate emergency management during dental treatment. A 57-year-old man loses consciousness immediately after the injection of a dental local anesthetic. For medical assistance, a neighboring general practitioner is first telephoned without success. After approximately 15 minutes, an ambulance is telephoned, but the caller gave no indication of the situation being life threatening. Finally, an emergency doctor is dispatched and arrives approximately 35 minutes after the emergency situation began. The electrocardiogram shows a supraventricular tachycardia which, after an immediate cardioversion, converts to a sinus rhythm connected with a restoration of the circulatory function. This case exemplifies the consequences of an inadequate response to a sudden emergency.