Welcome
LipidRescue™ resuscitation refers to the intravascular infusion of 20% lipid emulsion to treat severe, systemic drug toxicity or poisoning. LipidRescueTM was originally developed to treat local anesthetic toxicity, a potentially fatal complication of regional anesthesia that can also occur in other situations where patients receive local anesthetic injections. More recently, LipidRescue™ has been shown in peer-reviewed medical literature and elsewhere to be an effective antidote for poisoning or overdose caused by a wide array of other (non-local anesthetic) lipophilic agents. Initial support for this view was provided by a most remarkable case report where lipid emulsion infusion apparently saved a patient from overwhelming bupropion overdose. Since then, evidence from both laboratory models and case reports, indicates that LipidRescue™ can effectively in treat a wide variety of non-local anesthetic overdoses, including reversal of both cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS) signs and symptoms of toxicity.
This site was established in 2006 to serve as a source of information on LipidRescue™ methodology and related issues. The intent was to provide a venue for the robust exchange of ideas on topics including the mechanisms, epidemiology, diagnosis, presentation, prevention and treatment of life-threatening local anesthetic overdose and other types of severe cardiac and CNS toxicity.
Content includes the aforementioned aspects of local anesthetic toxicity plus links to related educational sites, typical experiments from my (the Weinberg) lab that are posted on YouTube for you to review, lipidrescue guidelines in several languages that you can download for free (find in the Navigator under 'Instructions') and use in your institution (e.g., laminate and post in the block room), some suggestions about how to institute a program, and a place to post interesting and/or educational cases - this is how we will all learn more about the setting, context, causes, clinical spectrum and treatment of all causes of toxicity.
I hope this site continues to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences with lipid resuscitation. The ultimate goal is to improve patient safety by advancing our understanding of lipophilic drug toxicity, (including but not limited to local anesthetic overdose), its prevention, diagnosis, mechanisms, and treatment. This is a goal we can work together to achieve.
Please feel free to contribute by posting a case or comment.
Guy Weinberg, MD