Sore throat and hoarseness after total intravenous anaesthesia

Background. Sore throat and hoarseness are common complications, but these have not been studied after total i.v. anaesthesia. Methods. We prospectively studied 418 surgical patients, aged 15-92 yr, after total i.v. anaesthesia with propofol, fentanyl and ketamine to assess possible factors associated with sore throat and hoarseness. Result. We found sore throat in 50% and hoarseness in 55% of patients immediately after surgery. This decreased to 25% for sore throat and 24% for hoarseness on the day after surgery. Both sore throat and hoarseness were more common in females and when lidocaine spray had been used. Cricoid pressure during laryngoscopy was inversely associated with the risk of sore throat. Conclusion. Knowledge of these factors may reduce postoperative throat complications, and improve patient satisfaction.