TOPICAL ANESTHESIA WITH HEXYLCAINE (CYCLAINE) FOR MAJOR ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES: EVALUATION AND COMPARISON IN 1,732 ADMINISTRATIONS

Endoscopie procedures in which topical anesthesia is used are fraught with the danger of toxic reactions from the local anesthetic drug employed. Previous reports * have shown that with drugs such as cocaine and tetracaine (Pontocaine) there is inherent danger of convulsions, respiratory and/or circulatory failure, and death. Only the rigid observance of rules limiting total dosage and specific techniques prevent more frequent occurrence of these untoward reactions. These reactions occur with the most skilled operators and can be eliminated or minimized only if an efficient, less toxic drug is available. These considerations prompted this survey. A preliminary report of 100 cystoscopic and 238 bronchoscopic examinations without untoward reactions justified the utilization of hexylcaine (Cyclaine) during the past four years in the bronchoscopic clinic of the thoracic surgical service at Bellevue Medical Center. Methods No control study was attempted other than a comparison with the previous year, when 1 %