Post operative throat complications after general anesthesia, a comparison between laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube

ABSTRACT

To determine the incidence of post operative throat complications such as pain dvsphagia, hoarseness of voice, dryness of throat and cough, after general anesthesia, and to compare between laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube. Prospective, double blinded, comparative, randomized observational study. Department of Anesthesiology and Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Civil Hospital Karachi, over a period of one year. 150 randomly selected A.S.A I and A.S.A II patients receiving general anesthesia were divided into two groups, 75 patients in each group. One group receiving general anesthesia through endotracheal tube and other group through laryngeal mask airway. This study was based on two proformas 1. Intra operative proforma. 2. Post operative proforma. This study has shown that the incidence of post operative throat complications after general anesthesia are 51/150 [34%] i.e 35/75 [46.6%] with endotracheal tube and 16/75 [21.3%] with laryngeal mask airway. General Anesthesia with laryngeal mask airway is associated with lesser number of throat complications as compared to endotracheal tube