Ear, nose, & throat journal
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Before the advent of safe and readily-available intubation anesthesia, most endoscopic procedures were carried out under topical or local anesthesia. Reawakening interest in cost effectiveness in medical practice and improved safety suggests that these techniques should be reexamined. The authors' experience in nearly 2,000 topical anesthetics for peroral endoscopy is reviewed. A preferred technique is presented which has proven effective and has resulted in an overall complication rate of less than 1%.