Hospital pioneers new local anaesthetic procedures

Injections to the voice box and biopsies are among four operations now possible under local anaesthetic

A hospital is pioneering new ways of doing some ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures under local anaesthetic.

Kettering General Hospital said the change would enable it to carry out more procedures and reduce waiting lists.

Injections to the voice box and biopsies are among four operations now possible under local anaesthetic.

ENT Consultant Rohan Bidaye said it meant some procedures were "streamlined", enabling patients to return home sooner.

Laser papilloma removal and balloon dilation of the oesophagus are now also possible with local anaesthetic.

Mr Bidaye said: "We are the first hospital in Northamptonshire, and one of only a few in the UK, to offer these procedures under local anaesthetic.

"Patients undergoing these procedures no longer require hospital admission or extended inpatient stays, significantly mitigating the risks associated with general anaesthesia."

He said the reduction in bed days "saves the hospital a lot of money".

"Because the procedure takes less time we can do more of them in a day – which will help us to address waiting times and waiting lists for these kind of procedures," he added.

The hospital is among the first in the country to offer the new procedures

Kettering General Hospital said it had now completed its first 100 procedures and patients who have had them under local anaesthetic have been positive about both the procedure and outcome.

Dianne McKendrick, 60, from Kettering, said treatment for her vocal cord paralysis "was much less involved than having a general anaesthetic".

"My voice started to improve and about three to five weeks after the operation it was back to normal. It is amazing,” she added.

Patient Dianne McKendrick said her voice box procedure 'was much less involved' under local anaesthetic