Journal of Anesthesiology and Pain

Abstract

Aims and Background: Sore throat, cough and hoarseness of voice are common postoperative complications in patients who undergo tracheal intubation for surgical procedures and such complications can be distressing to the patients even more than postoperative pain. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of  the endotracheal tube cuff lubrication with lubricant jell before intubation on postoperative sore throat and hoarseness.

Materials and methods: In a prospective, randomized, double blind, controlled clinical trial, eighty ASA class I and II patients undergoing elective surgeries under general orotracheal anesthesia were randomized into two groups: water soluble gel, and control groups. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for sore throat and the incidence of hoarseness in each group at the end of general anesthesia and at 1, 12, and 24 h after operation were evaluated.

Findings: : Main VAS scores for sore throat 1 h after anesthesia were 3.30±  2.11  cm in the control group and 1.10 ± 1.48cm  in the lubricated group.(p=0.0001) VAS scores 12 h after operation  were 2.3 ± 2 cm in the control group and 0.55 ± 1.06 cm in the lubricated group.(p=0.001). VAS scores 24 h after operation were 1.05 ± 1.41 cm in the control group and 0.27 ± 0.64 cm in the lubricated group.(p=0.001) However, there was no hoarseness among the groups.

Conclusion: Tracheal tube cuff lubrication with a water-soluble gel before anesthesia reduces severity of sore throat.