What condition can result from the accidental intravascular injection of a local anesthetic?

The condition that can result from the accidental intravascular injection of a local anesthetic is local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST). When a local anesthetic is injected directly into a blood vessel, it can rapidly enter the systemic circulation, leading to potentially serious effects on the central nervous system and cardiovascular system.

LAST can manifest with a variety of symptoms, including:

• Central nervous system effects such as tinnitus, dizziness, seizures, and altered mental status.

• Cardiovascular issues, including arrhythmias, hypotension, and cardiac arrest.

The toxic effects occur due to the increased concentration of the local anesthetic in the bloodstream, which overwhelms the body's capacity to metabolize and eliminate the drug.

In contrast, while allergic reactions, infections, and neuropathy can occur with the administration of local anesthetics, they are not directly caused by intravascular injection. Allergic reactions are immune responses to components of the anesthetic, infections are local complications that can arise from poor technique or contamination, and neuropathy involves nerve damage that may occur due to mechanical injury or neurotoxic effects but is not a direct consequence of intravascular injection. Therefore, LAST is the specific condition that can directly result from mistakenly injecting anesthetic into the vascular system.