National survey sampling exercise on current practice in channelled local anaesthetic biopsy in suspected head and neck cancer.

Out-patient channelled endoscopic local anaesthetic biopsy reduces the time to diagnosis and wider use may improve cancer pathway times. This study aimed to assess the practice of ENT surgeons using channelled local anaesthetic biopsy. A survey was distributed nationally, containing questions about out-patient local anaesthetic biopsy. In total, 58 responses were returned; only 12 per cent of respondents ( Surgeons are interested in using channelled endoscopic local anaesthetic biopsy, but they are limited by access to equipment. Increased use of channelled endoscopes may improve national cancer pathway times and avoid challenging general anaesthetics.