Aim: To Compare frequency of sore throat in early post operative period among patients undergoing general anaesthesia and endotracheal intubation for abdominal surgeries who are given dexamethasone and normal saline.

Study Design: Randomized controlled study

Setting: Department of Anesthesia/ ICU, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore

Duration of study: Six months i.e. 25-09-2009 to 25-03-2010.

Methodology: 120 patients undergoing elective general surgery on abdomen were selected. They were divided into two groups. Group I received dexamethasone 8mg (2ml) I/V pre-operatively and group II received 2ml normal saline I/V pre-operatively. Chi square test was used. Visual analogue (VAS) scale was used for recording sore throat. The VAS score ≤4 was considered as no sore throat and VAS scores>4 were considered as the sore throat.

Results: Frequency of post-operative sore throat after the first 24 hours following GA and endotracheal intubation was lower in group (I) as compared to the control group (II). Eleven (20%) patients with dexamethasone had post-operative sore throat compared to thirty one (56.3%) patients in control group. (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Pre-operative use of dexamethasone was associated with decreased incidence of post-operative sore throat.

Keywords: Visual analogue scale (VAS), Post-operative sore throat, general anesthesia