When a patient is seen and endoscopy is indicated, his psychic preparation is very important. The patient should know a great deal about what we are planning to do so that we may have full cooperation. We must tell the patient that this is an examination and not an operation, and that there will be no pain but probably some discomfort because his neck will have to be extended and kept in this position for a little while. He must know that he will not be able to talk during the procedure because the tube is in his voice box, but that he will have all the air he needs for respiration at all times, and that, because we are using a rigid tube, any jerky movements might be dangerous. Having prepared the patient in this manner, the next important step is the medical preparation.
In order to have an