How much local anesthetic is present in 2 cartridges of 2% lidocaine, considering each cartridge contains 1.7mg?

To determine the total amount of local anesthetic in 2 cartridges of 2% lidocaine, it's important to understand the concentration of lidocaine and the volume of each cartridge.

A 2% solution of lidocaine means that there are 2 grams of lidocaine per 100 mL of solution. This translates to 20 mg per mL. Since each cartridge contains 1.7 mL, you would calculate the amount of lidocaine in one cartridge as follows:

[ \text{Amount of lidocaine in one cartridge} = \text{Concentration (mg/mL)} \times \text{Volume (mL)} = 20 \text{ mg/mL} \times 1.7 \text{ mL} = 34 \text{ mg} ]

Now, since there are 2 cartridges, you simply multiply the amount of lidocaine in one cartridge by 2:

[ \text{Total amount of lidocaine} = 34 \text{ mg/cartridge} \times 2 \text{ cartridges} = 68 \text{ mg} ]

Thus, the total amount of local anesthetic present in 2 cartridges of 2% lidocaine is indeed 68