Can lidocaine exposure during gynecomastia surgery cause tinnitus?

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8 weeks after a successful gynecomastia surgery, I developed tinnitus (ringing in both ears). I have seen 3 ENT specialists who have done hearing tests, MRIs (Checking for brain tumors), cat-scans and other examinations, I have seen 2 neurologists (one neuro-surgeon) who did auditory nerve tests and oral surgeons who examined for a posibility of a TMJ condition and all have come back empty handed - negative! Finally, last week, my primary care physician said, "wait a minute," did you say you had liposuction done with local anasthesia? I wonder whether lidocaine could be the culprit." Tinnitus is listed as one of the side effects of lidocaine exposure during Tumescent Liposuction. The question I am asking here is - does anyone here know about this? I mean is this possible? and if so how can I get treatment? The surgery changed my life positively and I have passed the point of regret (Buyer's remorse) which happened about 12 weeks after the surgery, but I have to say that the constant ringing in my ears is about to destroy my life as I know it. Thank you.    

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

In some of the medical literature, Lidocaine is actually being considered as a treatment for tinnitus.

When Lidocaine is used during tumescent infiltration, it is used in extremely diluted quantities.  For example, a 30 cc vial of 1% Lidocaine can be diluted in a liter (1000 cc's) of fluid.  And then, for most cases, only 200 - 300 cc's of fluid is injected per side.

I have been using tumescent fluid with diluted Lidocaine for over 30 years on thousands of patients -- and have never had any patient complain of post op tinnitus.

Remember, tinnitus is a fairly common ailment.  The onset of your tinnitus after surgery may, in the long run, turn out to simply be coincidental rather than causally related.

Dr Jacobs

[George Pope, M.D.]

Mediafocus,

How old are you?  It could be that your tinnitus is related to a noise-induced hearing loss, which occurs fairly frequently in older people.  As Dr. Jacobs said, it may be totally unrelated to the surgery, merely coincidental.  It sounds like you had a thorough workup.  Are you aware of what your audiogram showed?  I trained in ENT before plastic surgery and have recently developed tinnitus myself  so I have an interest here.

Dr. Pope, MD

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I am 46 and the audiogram came fine. I was not exposed to music or loud noise, I live in a quiet area and I work in a quiet office. So noise was one of the things that was ruled out from the beginning.