Postoperative Sore Throat

Abstract

Postoperative sore throat is a common complaint amongst patients who have received general anesthesia and airway management. Several risk factors have been associated to the presence of postoperative sore throat as well as interventions aimed at reducing the incidence and intensity of the pain. The intensity of pain varies widely through populations and can be as insignificant as a complaint or negatively associated with the quality of care during a procedure. The length of duration can be from a few hours postoperatively up to a couple of days following the procedure and is also linked to some surgical related factors. To this day there is no consensus on the best way to prevent its appearance but understanding its pathophysiology as well as how our medical interventions can affect the patient’s outcome is a step forward towards decreasing its significance in the postoperative setting.