PREVENTION OF POST INTUBATION SORE THROAT BY USING AN ALKALINIZED LIGNOCAINE FILLED ETT CUFF

Abstract

Source of Funding: Self Conflicts of interest: None DOI: 10.16965/ijims.2018.125 Sore throat is a common postoperative complaint after endotracheal intubation during general anaesthesia. The benefits of using alkalinized lignocaine to fill the cuff of an endotracheal tube to prevent post intubation sore throat were sought. A randomized controlled study was performed on 66 patients of ASA I-II status divided into 3 groups of 22 each. In the A group ETT was filled with air, in group PL plain lignocaine was used to inflate the cuff and in group AL alkalinized lignocaine was used to fill the ETT cuff. The degree of sore throat and other side effects of intubation like coughing, restlessness, dysphonia and hoarseness were assessed over 24 hours post-extubation. In this present study, incidence of sore throat was less when intracuff alkalinized lignocaine was used rather than plain lignocaine or air. Throat pain, restlessness, dysphonia and hoarseness were most common in the air group in which air was the inflating medium. Compared to plain lignocaine group, the incidence of side effects was less in the alkalinized lignocaine group. Thus our study showed benefit of using an alkalinized lignocaine filled ETT cuff in preventing post intubation sore throat.