The Role of Dexamethasone in Reducing the Severity of Postoperative Sore Throat

Abstract

ACKGROUND: Effect of intravenously administered dexamethasone in reducing the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat in patients receiving general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of dexamthasone administered intravenously preoperative in reducing post opretive sore throat METHODS: 80 patients receiving general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation in randomized double blindedplacebo controlled were randomly assigned to two groups: group1(control) patients receivingnormal saline 2 mLiv and group 2 (D) patients received dexamethasone 8 mg iv. After surgery,visual analogue scale(VAS) scores at rest and with effort (swallowing movment) for post operativesore throat were recorded. RESULTS: This study revealed that post operative sore throat during the first 24 hr following surgery waslower in dexamethasone group(D) compared to the control group(C).Nine (22.4%) patients in thedexamethasone group had postoperative sore throat, compared to 23(57.5%)patients in the controlgroup (p<0.01). Postoperatively at one hour,threehours, six hours, 12 hours and 24 hours, the VASscores for postoperative sore throat at rest and during effort were lower in dexamethasone group(D) compared to the control group(p<0.01) at corresponding time intervals. CONCLUSION: Preoperative administration of dexamethasone 8mh iv reduces the incidence and severity ofpostoperative sore throat in patients receiving general anesthesia with endtacheal intubation