Deaths with dental anaesthetics

Abstract

SUMMARY Case summaries are given of 16 recent deaths in the dental chair, 15 of them associated with the administration of a general anaesthetic (given in eight cases by consultant anaesthetists) and one with a local analgesia. Contrary to what is generally supposed, deaths with dental analgesia are rarely due to errors made by the anaesthetist: the usual cause is the upright or semi‐upright position of the patient. Dental patients undergoing general anaesthesia should be treated lying down.