Topical dexamethasone versus topical 10%lidocaine spray to reduce post-intubation sore throat in shoulder arthroscopic surgeries: A comparative study

Background Postoperative sore throat is one of the most common postoperative complaints and can decrease patient satisfaction. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of topical dexamethasone compared to 10% lidocaine spray in reducing post-intubation sore throats in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopic surgeries. Methods In this study, 100 patients scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy under general anesthesia were intubated and randomly allocated into two groups. For the first group, an endotracheal tube was soaked in 8 mg of dexamethasone before intubation, while for the second group, the tube was sprayed with 10% lidocaine. The severity of sore throat in both groups was evaluated at 1 hour and 6 hours after extubation. Result The study compared the post-operative sore throat levels between the dexamethasone and lidocaine groups, each with 50 participants. There were no significant differences in demographics or operation duration between the groups. One hour post-operation, the dexamethasone group reported significantly less sore throat, with lower mean (0.72 ± 0.83) and median (0.5, IQR 0.0–1.0) sore throat scores compared to the lidocaine group (mean: 1.48 ± 0.84; median: 2.0, IQR 1.0–2.0). Similarly, six hours post-operation, the dexamethasone group continued to report significantly lower sore throat levels (mean: 0.42 ± 0.61; median: 0.0, IQR 0.0–1.0) than the lidocaine group (mean: 0.72 ± 0.76; median: 1.0, IQR 0.0–1.0). Conclusion Topical dexamethasone was more effective than lidocaine in reducing postoperative sore throat. Trial registration Clinical trials number NO. NCT06266481 Date 04/01/2024 ({1}) ({1})(https//clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06266481)