Cardiac arrest following the use of hydrogen peroxide during arthroplasty.

A case is reported in which cardiac arrest immediately followed the use of hydrogen peroxide during preparation of the femoral canal during hip arthroplasty. The most likely cause of the arrest was thought to be oxygen embolism. The authors suggest that the use of peroxide in an unvented femoral canal may be hazardous, as it has been shown to be in other closed cavities in the body.