Chlorhexidine Anaphylaxis after Urethral Catheterization during Anesthesia - A case report -

Chlorhexidine is a widely used antiseptic and disinfectant that has eliminating effects on gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, some mycobacteria, candida albicans, and some viruses. There have been a few reports regarding severe adverse reactions associated with chlorhexidine. But, there was no report about the anaphylactic shock due to chlorhexidine during anesthesia in Korea. We report a severe anaphylaxis reaction after the use of chlorhexidine jelly for the urethral catheterization, presenting the positive skin test for chlorhexidine. This case shows that the ‘innocent' products such as urethral lubricants may elicit serious life-threatening reactions.

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