ABSTRACT
Background:Post Operative Sore Throat (POST),though trivial, is acommon and agonising post operative complicationusually seen following placement of a definitive airway device. Many pharmacological and non pharmacological methods have been tried to reduce the incidence of POST. Numerous studies have been conducted to judge their efficacy for its prevention and treatment. In this study two such pharmacological methods have been compared. Methods: This observational study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital, on 150 patients undergoing various surgeries under general anaesthesia with the use of a definitive airway (Endotracheal Tube). The patients were divided into three groups(Gp B, K & C) of 50 each nebulised with Betamethasone, Ketamine & Saline respectively. Sore throat was assessed on a scale of 0-3 at different times both preoperatively and postoperatively in all the groups. The observers were blinded to the group allotment.They were compared for the onset and incidence of sore throat to determine the best modality for its prevention and treatment. Results: The three study groups were compared statistically to ascertain the onset and incidence of POST in patients following intubation for surgery under general anaesthesia. The Student ANOVA analysis was used to compare the three groups and it was found that the incidence of POST was lowest after nebulisation with Betamethasone. Nebulisation with Ketamine gave some protection from POST but was not better than Betamethasone. Conclusion: POST is a very common complication post tracheal intubation. The incidence of POST was found to be the least in Betamethasone Gp. It waslower in Ketamine Gp as compared to Control Gp, but was higher than Betamethasone Gp. The onset of POST was delayed the most bynebulisation with Ketamine but Betamethasone had a prolonged effect.