[An accidental intra-arterial injection of midazolam through a 3-way stopcock in an arterial flushing system].

Midazolam 5 mg (1 mg/ml) was accidentally injected intra-arterially into an intubated patient who was being transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU) to an operating room. No adverse effects were observed. To our knowledge, this is the first published case of intra-arterial administration of midazolam; whether this is generally harmless remains, therefore, an open question. Midazolam was injected through a 3-way stopcock in a manometer connecting tube. Three-way stopcocks in arterial lines are dangerous because of the risk of accidental intra-arterial injections. A careful preoperative check including the intravascular catheters is necessary in every patient, especially those being transferred from the ICU to an operating room.