prilocaine hydrochloride /pril″ōkān/ , a local anesthetic agent of the amide family, used for nerve block, epidural, and regional anesthesia. It is not used for spinal or topical anesthesia. Prilocaine hydrochloride is about half as toxic as lidocaine but, because methemoglobinemia is a possible reaction to its administration, is not used for patients with hypoxic conditions of any kind.
