How many mg of local anesthetic are in two cartridges of 2% lidocaine 1:100,000?

To determine the amount of local anesthetic in two cartridges of 2% lidocaine 1:100,000, it is important to understand the concentrations and measurements involved.

Lidocaine at a concentration of 2% means there are 2 grams of lidocaine in 100 mL of solution. To convert this to milligrams for practical use, we can use the following conversion:

2 grams = 2000 milligrams.

Thus, a 2% solution contains 20 mg of lidocaine per mL of solution (since 2000 mg divided by 100 mL gives you 20 mg/mL).

Each standard cartridge typically contains 1.8 mL of solution. Therefore, in one cartridge, the amount of lidocaine is calculated as follows:

20 mg/mL × 1.8 mL = 36 mg of lidocaine per cartridge.

If you have two cartridges, you simply multiply the amount in one cartridge by 2:

36 mg/cartridge × 2 cartridges = 72 mg.

Therefore, the total amount of local anesthetic in two cartridges of 2% lidocaine 1:100,000 is 72 mg.