Abstract Background: There are various risk factors associated with Post Operative Sore Throat (POST). The objective of the study was to study the incidence of post operative sore throat in patients undergoing surgeries under general anaesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation.
Materials and Methods: A total of 175 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The incidence of post operative sore throat was observed at 1, 6 and 24 hours post extubation and its correlation with the mallampatti score, designation of the intubating anaesthesiologist and the duration of surgery.
Results: In males the incidence was 50% and in females it was 47% with an overall incidence of 48%. In patients with mallampatti class 1 the incidence of POST was 41% and in class 2 it was 57.9%. Among the anaesthesists, 1st, 2nd and 3rd year PGs were 45.7 %, 50.7%, 48.6% and 44.4% respectively. The incidence of POST in patients in whom duration of surgery was between 1 to 2 hours was 39.4 %, 2 to 3 hours was 49.4 % and 3 to 4 hours was 68 %.
Conclusion: The incidence of POST has no significant difference between female and male patients. Lower mallampatti score is associated with lower incidence. Designation of anesthesist has no impact on the incidence. Lower the duration of surgery, lower the incidence.