Ethyl Chloride
Indications
Ethyl Chloride is used for:
Local anesthesia
Adult Dose
Topical/Cutaneous
Local anaesthesia
Adult: As spray containing 88 g/100 mL, spray at a distance of 30 cm from skin surface until a fine white film is produced.
Child Dose
Renal Dose
Administration
Contra Indications
Hypersensitivity; porphyria. Application on broken skin or mucous membranes.
Precautions
To protect against tissue sloughing, cover the skin adjacent to the area being treated with petrolatum. Avoid spilling the liquid on the skin. Freezing may also distort the histological structure of biopsy specimens. Highly flammable. Avoid inhalation when used as local anaesthesia.
Pregnancy-Lactation
Interactions
Adverse Effects
Side effects of Ethyl Chloride :
Thawing of frozen tissue after surgery may be painful. Chemical frostbite may occur following prolonged spraying onto the skin. Nephrotoxicity or hepatotoxicity (long-term exposure).
Mechanism of Action
Ethyl chloride is a vapocoolant (skin refrigerant) local anaesthetic, evaporizes rapidly and when applied as fine spray, produces freezing of superficial tissues, resulting in insensitivity of peripheral nerve endings and local anaesthesia.