A Comparison of Effectiveness f Betamethasone Gel and Lignocaine Jelly Applied to Tracheal Tube on Postoperative Sore Throat

Abstract

Post-operative airway symptoms specially postoperative sore throat (POST) can be troublesome to patients following an uneventful general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Ninety ASA I and II informed consenting patients aged 20-50 years were recruited and randomly allocated into three groups of 30 each. The outer surface of the tracheal tubes used in intubating patients were lubricated with 0.05% betamethasone gel for group B, 2% lignocaine jelly for group L from the distal tip of the tube to the 15 cm mark and group C without lubrication. The incidence and severity of sore throat was then assessed at 1 hour, 6 hours and 24 hours during postoperative period. At 24 hours following extubation, there was a statistically significant lower incidence of POST in group B compared to other two groups. (group B= 6.66% vs group L= 33.33% vs group C= 40%, p<0.05). When the groups were compared in pairs, there was a statistically significant difference of POST between groups B and L also groups B and C with lower incidence of POST in group B at 24 hours, p<0.05. Significant difference in incidence of POST was, however, not found when group C was compared with group L separately, at different time of interval, p>0.05. It could be concluded that 0.05% betamethasone gel applied widely over endotracheal tube effectively reduces postoperative sore throat in comparison with 2% lignocaine jelly application.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Betamethasone Gel with Lidocaine Gel Application on Endotracheal Tube in Preventing Post Operating Sore Throat

“…Administration of dexamethasone intravenously has capability to decrease inflammatory response along with provision of anti-emetic and analgesic effect 7 . Steroid administration provides protection from severity and incidence rate after removal of tube 8,9 . Some technical measures like use of low pressure cuff, small size cuff, intravenous and external application of lignocaine, ketamine gargle, topical spray of steroids and application of steroids over endotracheal tube are also useful 11 .…”