Patient acceptance of local anesthesia for breast biopsy.

Three out of every four patients undergoing breast biopsy found the outpatient local-anesthesia method acceptable in this study. Patient acceptance was greater among those who experienced less pain and anxiety. This suggests that acceptance could be increased by more complete preoperative explanation to the patient, adequate premedication, properly administered local anesthesia and gentle technique. Acceptance would also probably be far greater in a private practice setting than in the instititutional and sometimes impersonal setting of a large federal hospital. Breast biopsy under local anesthesia has not compromised survival rates or increased local recurrence. When it is done on an outpatient basis, hospital costs have been reduced at least threefold. It is apparent, then, that patient objection is not a deterrent to the use of breast biopsy under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. For patients with dominant breast masses, this modality can be added to any plan of management which seeks to reduce patient risk and inconvencience, diminish hospital costs and alleviate bed demand all without impairing diagnostic accuracy or long-term survival.