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To the Editor.—I wish to confirm the findings of Simmons et al in their article, "Lidocaine in the Middle Ear," in the July 1973 issue of the Archives (98:42). I too had encountered severe vertigo reaction from the injection of lidocaine into the external canal in an office procedure. The lidocaine had been used in preparation for myringotomy. Several eminent otologists stated that they have never encountered this.
Subsequently, I also encountered several vertigo reactions from the use of 4% topical lidocaine in children, where it was used to ease the pain of removal of tubes.
This would tend to confirm the findings reported that lidocaine causes vertigo.