Dear Sirs
I read this article with interest and believe that the technique described will be useful for teaching. However, the illustration provided shows the trainee holding the syringe in one hand whilst depressing the tongue with the second hand. Trying to pull back the syringe plunger with the same hand that is attempting to hold the barrel is a traditional technique that I am sure many of your readers will remember trying to master. It is difficult to control the syringe and may result in the needle being misplaced. A better alternative is to use a syringe holder, such as those used for fine needle cytology aspirations.Reference Vats and Ingrams1 I have been teaching this technique for about 10 years and believe it makes drainage much simpler.
Authors' reply
Dear Sirs
We are grateful for D Ingrams's comments on our article. To date, we have not encountered any trainees who have not been able to master the technique we have described, and we are not aware of any complications resulting from difficulties in holding the syringe. However, we accept that a syringe holder, such as those used for fine needle cytology aspirations, may be of benefit to any trainee who struggles with the technique illustrated. The use of a syringe holder would depend on its availability in specific departments, and may require some additional instruction.
