Airway management with endotracheal intubation for General Anaesthesia (GA) is an integral part of an anaesthesiologist’s responsibilities towards patient care. Sequelae inherent to the usage of cuffed endotracheal tube are local irritation and inflammation of the airway resulting in post intubation morbidities like sore throat, hoarseness of voice and cough. We compared the efficacy of saline, 2% lignocaine and 0.5% ketamine intra cuff in preventing post-operative sore throat (POST).

In this randomised, double blind, controlled study, 60 adults undergoing surgeries under GA with tracheal intubation were divided into 3 groups where cuff was inflated with 0.9% Saline (Group A), 2% Lignocaine (Group B) and 0.5% Ketamine (Group C). The cuff was inflated with the respective group drug to maintain an intracuff pressure of 20 cm of H2O, measured by Ruschendotest cuff inflator. Immediately after extubation patient was assessed for coughing, heart rate and blood pressure. POST was assessed at 1,2 ,3, 4,6, 12 and 24 hours after extubation.

The groups were demographically comparable. Restlessness before tracheal extubation was decreased in patients in group B compared with the other groups. No significant difference between the groups was recorded in hemodynamic parameters. POST occurred more frequently in group A, when compared with Group B and C, at 2, 4,6,12 and 24 hours (P<0.05).

These data show benefits of using lignocaine and ketamine Intracuff compared to saline. Lignocaine has an added benefit in reducing restlessness before tracheal extubation.