Evaluation of the efficacy of transcricoid lignocaine as adjunctive local anaesthesia for fiberoptic bronchoscopy

Optimisation of patient comfort during flexible bronchoscopy is achieved with the use of intravenous sedation and vocal anaesthesia. The effect of transcricoid lignocaine injection was investigated with regards to ease of procedure and frequency of cough. A single-blinded study was carried out and two visual analogue scales were used as markers of efficacy. Treatment groups were matched for age, gender and total dose of lignocaine administered. The results highlighted a significant improvement in the perceived ease of procedure (p < 0.0001) and frequency of coughing during the procedure (p < 0.0001). The findings of the study demonstrate that the use of transcricoid injection of lignocaine provided a safe adjunct for anaesthesia in flexible bronchoscopy.