Search
tetracaine (Pantocaine)
Tradename: Pontocaine. (tetracaine hydrochloride) Ophthalmic agent:
Indications:
- local anesthesia of the eye for:
- diagnostic procedures
- foreign body or suture removal
- paracentesis of the anterior chamber
- short-term procedures involving the cornea or conjunctiva
- spinal anesthesia
- topical anethesia applied to the nose & throat for various diagnostic procedures
- pruritus, superficial injury, skin irritation
Contraindications:
- ophthlamic: secondary bacterial infection
Dosage:
1) 1-2 drops into the eye prior to procedure
2) spinal anesthesia: 5-20 mg of 1% solution into subarachnoid space
3) saddle block: 2-5 mg of a 1% solution dilute with an equal volume of CSF before administration
4) topical to mucous membrane: apply 2% solution as needed; total dose should not exceed 20 mg
Injection: 1% (2 mL) Ointment (ophthalmic): 0.5% (3.75 g) Solution (ophthalmic): 0.5% (1 mL), 0.2%, 0.3%, 1%
Pharmacokinetics:
1) anesthesia within 25-60 seconds (ophthalmic) or within 3 minutes topical to mucous membranes or spinal anesthesia
2) duration of action: up to 15 minutes [2]; 1.5-3 hours [3]
3) metabolized by the liver & plasma
4) metabolites are excreted in the urine
Adverse effects:
1) not common (1-10%)
- contact dermatitis, burning, stinging, angioedema
2) uncommon (< 1%)
- methemoglobinemia in infants, tenderness, urticaria, edema, urethritis
3) prolonged use has been associated with:
- severe keratitis
- corneal opacification
Mechanism of action:
- blocks both the initiation & conduction of nerve impulses
General
local anesthetic
Properties
MISC-INFO: elimination route LIVER
PLASMA
KIDNEY
Database Correlations
PUBCHEM correlations
References
- The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed.
Gilman et al, eds. Permagon Press/McGraw Hill, 1996
- Drug Information & Medication Formulary, Veterans Affairs,
Central California Health Care System, 1st ed., Ravnan et al
eds, 1998
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug
Formulary, 1998
- Deprecated Reference
Component-of
benzocaine/benzalkonium chloride/butyl aminobenzoate/tetracaine (Cetacaine)
benzocaine/tetracaine
camphor/menthol/tetracaine
epinephrine/lidocaine/tetracaine
isoflupredone/neomycin/tetracaine
lidocaine/tetracaine (Synera)
lidocaine/tetracaine/witch hazel