EMLA Toxicity After Application for Allergy Skin Testing

An EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) is an eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine used to provide topical anesthesia for various medical procedures. Parker et al discuss the case of a three-year-old female child who had a history of eczema, on which a proper amount of EMLA was used, but applied to a large area of the diseased skin. They point out that the case stresses the importance of patient and parental instructions when prescribing any medication, including medications that are used commonly without frequent complications.