Ultrasonic nebulizer in local anesthesia for bronchoscopy.

A method of utilizing an ultrasonic nebulizer (De Vilbiss 35 A) in local anesthesia for bronchoscopy is described. 10 ml of 4% Licocaine without adrenaline was used as anesthetic agent. Blood levels of Lidocaine were determined on 12 patients. The maximum blood levels were reached 6-8 min after the end of anesthesia. Blood lelvels ranged from 0.37 to 3.28 mug/ml being so in the nontoxic dosage range. A satisfactory anesthesia was achieved in 95% of the 1,043 patients subjected to bronchoscopy, while 5% felt that laryngeal anesthesia was not complete. In no case was it necessary to use the conventional way to complete the anesthesia. Nebulizer anesthesia was preferred by 100 persons who had been anesthetized by both the conventional method and the ultrasonic technique.