Effect of Nebulized Lignocaine for the Treatment of Post-Operative Sore Throat

Background: A sore throat is a side effect of general anesthesia with an endotracheal tube. The reported incidence is about 15-50% of patients after tracheal intubation and about 10-30% even with supraglottic airway devices. Several methods are used pre-operatively to reduce the incidence of post-operative sore throat (POST) with variable results. Materials and Methods: We studied 50 patients prospectively to determine the effectiveness of nebulized lignocaine for the treatment of POST compared to placebo. Results: Signifi cant number of patients (23/25) reported a reduction in severity of POST in those treated with nebulized lignocaine compared to the control group (9/25) (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Nebulized lignocaine can be used as a safe and effective treatment for relief of POST resulting from endotracheal intubation. Selection of appropriate patients is important for preventing untoward incidents that may result from the treatment.