Perioperative anaphylaxis to cefazolin.

The incidence of generalized reactions during anesthesia has been reported to range from 1 in 5000 to 1 in 25,000 cases with a mortality rate of up to 6%. The most common causes are neuromuscular blocking agents, latex, and antibiotics. Identification of the offending agent may be difficult because multiple medications are administered over a short period. Furthermore, up to 40% of all generalized reactions during anesthesia are non-immunoglobulin E mediated and therefore can not be evaluated by skin testing. We report a case of perioperative anaphylaxis to cefazolin. Sensitization to cefazolin was determined through skin testing, and the patient underwent successful surgery subsequently with the avoidance of cefazolin.