[Lidocaine treatment of poisoning with yew needles (Taxus baccata L.)].

A 40-year-old patient attempted suicide by drinking an extract made from 120 g of yew needles. Shortly after severe ventricular arrhythmia occurred characterized by extremely prolonged QRS-intervals. Recurrent episodes of ventricular tachycardia were successfully treated with high doses of lidocaine. In most cases intoxication by yew needles ends fatally. Lidocaine may be the drug of choice to treat life-threatening tachyarrhythmia in such cases.