Topical anaesthesia in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Most upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Britain is performed in sedated patients' and the need for topical pharyngeal anaesthesia is not established-some studies showing benefit,2 others not.3 'This uncertainty is reflected in clinical practice, a recent postal survey showing that 63% of endoscopists use pharyngeal anaesthesia regularly, 20% not at all, and the rest sometimes.' We have tested the value of pharyngeal anaesthesia in a double blind placebo controlled study in patients sedated with intravenous midazolam having upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.