Blueish woman with chocolaty blood highlights rare risk of common anesthetic

Enlarge / The patient had blueish fingernails and dark brown blood. (credit: Warren, Blackwood, NEJM)

A 25-year-old woman showed up at an emergency room in Providence, Rhode Island, with fatigue, shortness of breath, and-most concerning-an obvious blueish hue.

The skin discoloration suggested that her body wasn't getting enough oxygen. When doctors drew some of her blood, it appeared as a dark, chocolate-brown color rather than the usual vibrant red.

The doctors figured out what had happened after the woman noted that she had had a toothache the night before-and had used a common over-the-counter anesthetic to ease her pain.

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