Background: Post-operative sore throat (POST) is a frequent complaint that occurs in 21–65% of patients receiving general anes-thesia (GA) with endotracheal intubation. Effective prevention of postoperative sore throat is thus needed. The inhaled corticosteroids deliver the drug to the site of action without systemic effects. Dexame-thasone is a potent synthetic glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory ef-fects.
Aim of work: To assess how far nebulized dexamethasone de-creases the incidence of POST and hoarseness of voice.
Patients and Methods: This double blinded double armed placebo controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 people divided into 2 groups; Group D: 30 patients received dexamethasone 8 mg in 5 ml normal saline nebulized 15 minutes before general anesthesia and en-dotracheal intubation. Group S: 30 patients received 5 ml normal saline nebulization 15 minutes before general anesthesia and endotracheal in-tubation.
Results: Patients' characteristics (age, sex, weight, ASA and Mal-lampati classification), duration of surgery, type of surgery, intuba-tion attempts and site of endotracheal tube shows non-significant dif-ference between both groups. Peri-nebulization hemodynamics, shows non-significant difference between both groups as regards heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure at all examined timings.
Conclusions: In our study the incidence of POST was 2 (6.7) which mean that the pre-operative single dose of nebulized dexame-thasone 8 mg effectively can attenuates the incidence and severity of POST following GA with endotracheal intubation.