ArticleAnnals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England2026
Evaluation of a local anaesthetic biopsy service for suspected cancers at a tertiary head and neck unit: relevance to post-COVID-19 recovery of surgical services.
Article in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
introductionIn response to pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic, a local anaesthetic (LA) biopsy service for patients with suspected head and neck cancer was set up at our centre.
methodsThis study was a prospective audit of patients referred for LA biopsy of head and neck lesions over a 2-year period at an adult United Kingdom tertiary head and neck centre.
resultsIn total, 202 patients had LA biopsy during the audit period. Most common types of biopsies were transoral (
conclusionsLA biopsy including transnasal oesophagoscopy/endoscopy is safe, well tolerated and can be used to assess patients with suspected head and neck cancer. Advantages include avoiding the risks of general anaesthesia and freeing up theatre capacity for more complex cases. We estimate savings of £900,000 over 2 years. Faced with limited theatre capacity and growing waiting lists, LA biopsy can also improve time to diagnosis and treatment for head and neck malignancies. We demonstrate the benefits of LA biopsy and highlight the role of transnasal oesophagoscopy/endoscopy in the recovery of surgical services in otolaryngology departments across the world in the post-pandemic era.
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