ABSTRACT
The caine mix III (Chemotechnique) is a mixture of three local anesthetics used for patch testing. The mix contains 5% benzocaine, 2.5% dibucaine (= cinchocaine) hydrochloride and 2.5% tetracaine hydrochloride. In this chapter, only results of testing with the mix are presented. The individual local anesthetics are monographed in chapter 3.34 (Benzocaine), chapter 3.101 (Dibucaine) and chapter 3.330 (Tetracaine). The caine mix III was included in the European baseline series in 2019, replacing benzocaine, that had been present in this screening series for decades. Several investigations have been performed in European countries in which random samples of the population of certain age groups have been patch tested with the caine mix III. High prevalences were found in Portugal (4.1%) and the USA (4.5%). Relevance rates were given in 3 investigations only and were 33% (2), 55% and 60%.
