Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Nesacaine
  2. Nesacaine-MPF

Descriptions


Chloroprocaine injection is used to cause numbness or loss of feeling and prevention of pain for patients having certain medical procedures.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Solution

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Because of this medicine's toxicity, it should be used with extreme caution in children younger than 6 months of age. Recommended doses should not be exceeded, and the patient should be carefully monitored during treatment.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of chloroprocaine injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have kidney problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving chloroprocaine injection.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Bupivacaine
  • Bupivacaine Liposome
  • Hyaluronidase
  • St John's Wort

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Blood vessel disease or
  • Heart disease or
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure) or
  • Liver disease—Use with caution. The chance of side effects may be increased.
  • Brain or nerve disease or
  • Heart block or
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure), severe or
  • Sepsis or
  • Spine problems—Use with caution.
  • Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) or
  • Heart problems or
  • Lung or breathing problems or
  • Methemoglobinemia (blood disorder), hereditary or idiopathic (unknown cause)—Use with caution. May increase risk of having methemoglobinemia.

Proper Use

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a medical facility. You may receive the injection into your rib cage, chest, or other body areas. Only Nesacaine®-MPF is given through a catheter placed into your lower back for an epidural or a spinal block.

This medicine should cause numbness only to the area where it is injected. You may experience temporary loss of sensation or movement in the injected area. This type of numbing procedure is called local anesthesia. It is not meant to cause you to fall asleep or become unconscious.

You may experience temporary loss of sensation and movement, usually in the lower half of your body, if you receive Nesacaine®-MPF into your lower back (epidural). It may be easier to hurt yourself while your treated body area is still numb. Be careful to avoid injury until you have regained all the feeling and are no longer numb.

If you are receiving Nesacaine®-MPF as an epidural to ease labor pains, it may take longer than normal for you to push your baby out. It is also possible that the baby may have unwanted effects after birth (including sleepiness, slow responses). Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how this medicine might affect your baby.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress closely while receiving this medicine to see if it is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause a rare, but serious blood problem called methemoglobinemia. The risk may be increased in children younger than 6 months of age, elderly patients, or patients with certain inborn defects. It is more likely to occur in patients receiving too much of the medicine, but can also occur with small amounts. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child has the following symptoms after receiving this medicine: pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nails, confusion, headache, lightheadedness, fast heartbeat, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have the following symptoms with this medicine: anxiety, blurred vision, depression, drowsiness, lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting, numbness and tingling of the mouth or lips, restlessness, ringing in the ears, speech problems, or tremors.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, mouth, or throat after receiving this medicine.

This medicine may also increase your risk of having serious heart and blood vessel problems such as a heart attack, heart rhythm changes, or low blood pressure. Check with your doctor if you have chest pain or discomfort, pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck, dizziness, fainting, pounding, slow heartbeat, troubled breathing, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

  1. Anxiety
  2. blurred vision
  3. burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
  4. chest pain or discomfort
  5. cold, clammy, pale skin
  6. confusion
  7. continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
  8. cough
  9. decrease in the frequency and amount of urine
  10. difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
  11. difficulty swallowing
  12. discouragement
  13. dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
  14. drowsiness
  15. excitement
  16. false or unusual sense of well-being
  17. fast or irregular heartbeat
  18. feeling sad or empty
  19. general feeling of illness
  20. hearing loss
  21. hives, itching, skin rash
  22. irritability
  23. lack of appetite
  24. loss of interest or pleasure
  25. nausea
  26. painful urination
  27. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  28. restlessness
  29. seizures
  30. severe headache
  31. shivering
  32. slow heart rate
  33. slowing of labor
  34. stiff neck or back
  35. sweating
  36. tightness in the chest
  37. trouble concentrating
  38. trouble sleeping
  39. unusual tiredness or weakness
  40. vomiting
  41. weakness of the muscles in your face

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

  1. Abnormal ejaculation
  2. decreased sexual performance or desire
  3. feeling of heat
  4. loss of bladder and bowel control
  5. loss of genital sensation and sexual function
  6. no sensation in the legs
  7. numbness
  8. unable to move the legs

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/zh-hans/drugs-supplements/chloroprocaine-injection-route/before-using/drg-20452288