Abstract

Methemoglobinemia, which may cause cyanosis in the neonatal period, is a rare hematological disorder. Methemoglobinemia may occur in congenital and acquired conditions. Drugs are the most reason of methemoglobinemia in newborns. It is reported that prilocaine, is widely used as a local anesthetic, may causes acquired methemoglobinemia in the neonatal period. A 10-hour-old newborn, who became cyanotic after applying prilocaine as a local anesthetic before the circumcision, was diagnosed with methemoglobinemia and successfully treated with intravenous ascorbic acid therapy. In this study, methemoglobinemia, which is a rare clinical condition, and its treatment are discussed and presented with the literature.