Postoperative Sore Throat and Duration of Surgery - An Observational Study

Abstract

Introduction:Postoperative Sore Throat (POST) is a common complication following tracheal intubation which even though is self-resolving, increases immediate postoperative morbidity. Multiple risk factors have been suggested but these remain unclarified. So it’s important to identify risk factors and methods to prevent them.Objectives:Primary objective was to compare the effect of cuff inflation using a manometer (Group M) versus conventional technique (Group C) on the incidence of POST. Secondary objective was to identify association of duration of surgery on incidence of POST in two groups.Methodology:This observational study includes two groups of 50 patients each, ASA 1 and 2. The patients are in the age group between 18 to 60 years, who had undergone surgery under General Anaesthesia with Controlled Ventilation of less than 3 hours duration. High-volume low-pressure cuffs of standard size were used, in which two methods of cuff inflation were done in consecutive subjects until sample sizes were achieved. Duration of surgery and incidence of POST at 6 and 12 hours in PACU were noted.Result:Incidence of POST was significantly less in group M where cuff pressure was maintained at 20 cm H2O than in group C (p<0.01). There was a significant increase in incidence of POST with duration of surgery in Group C but not in Group M.Conclusion:Cuff inflation guided by manometer and maintenance of the cuff pressure at 20 cm of H2O throughout the surgery significantly reduces the incidence of POST, and its significance is more when duration of surgery is more than one and a half hours.