The Effect of Controlled Hypotensive Anesthesia on Postoperative Sore Throat.

Aim: Postoperative sore throat (POST) is a commonly encountered and significant complication following anesthesia, which can adversely affect the quality of a patient's recovery. Many factors contribute to the development of POST. Controlled hypotension (CH) is a surgical technique used to reduce blood flow, improve visibility, and shorten procedure time by safely lowering blood pressure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of CH on POST, coughing, hoarseness, and vomiting in patients undergoing surgery in a supine position with a fixed endotracheal cuff pressure. Material and Method: A total of 124 patients, aged between 18 and 65 years, classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class I-II and scheduled for elective surgical procedures, were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: Group N (n=65), consisting of normotensive individuals, and Group H (n=59), which included patients subjected to CH. In both groups, the endotracheal cuff pressure was manually set to 25 cmH2O using a cuff pressure manometer. CH was achieved in Group H by administering glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin) infusion, maintaining the mean arterial pressure (MAP) within the range of 55-65 mmHg. Patients were assessed for POST, coughing, hoarseness, and vomiting at postoperative 15 minutes, 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours. Results: Demographic data, smoking status, ASA scores, surgical and anesthesia durations were similar between the groups. Statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in the numeric rate scores (NRS) for throat pain at 15 minutes and 2 hours, as well as hoarseness scores at 2 and 6 hours. The groups were similar regarding vomiting rates and cough scores. Conclusion: In this study investigating the impact of CH on sore throat, we observed an increased incidence of POST and hoarseness in patients subjected to CH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]