1*Final Year Postgraduate, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India; Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. Email: luckyprasanna96@gmail.com (Corresponding Author)
2Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India; Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. Email: Bhagyavardhan@gmail.com
3Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India; Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. Email: Kalamhn@gmail.com
4Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India; Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. Email: purushmbbs@gmail.com ORCID: 0000-0002-6202-0424
5Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India; Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. Email: dr.vs.md@gmail.com
6Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Sciences (Operation Theatre and Anaesthesia Technology), Department of Anaesthesiology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India; Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. Reg. No: UAH2001016
Received: 15th Feb, 2026; Revised: 27th Feb 2026; Accepted: 20th Mar, 2026; Available Online: 5th Apr, 2026
Background: Airway management is a critical component of general anaesthesia, with endotracheal intubation and laryngeal mask airway (LMA) being the most commonly used techniques. However, both are associated with postoperative throat complications such as sore throat and hoarseness, which can affect patient comfort and recovery. The incidence and severity of these complications may vary based on airway device and patient characteristics, particularly gender.
Aim: To compare postoperative throat complaints following endotracheal intubation and classic laryngeal mask airway, and to assess the influence of gender on these outcomes.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care center and included 72 patients aged 18–60 years undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia. Patients were equally divided into four groups: E(M), E(F), L(M), and L(F), with 18 patients in each group. Standard anaesthesia protocols were followed. Postoperative sore throat and hoarseness were assessed and compared between groups. Statistical analysis was performed to determine significance.
Results: Postoperative sore throat was significantly higher in the endotracheal groups, with mean scores of 2.33 ± 0.59 in E(F) and 1.66 ± 0.48 in E(M), compared to 1.72 ± 0.75 in L(F) and 0.72 ± 0.46 in L(M) (p < 0.05). Hoarseness followed a similar pattern, with highest severity in E(F) (2.55 ± 0.61). Female patients consistently showed higher symptom severity across both airway modalities.
Conclusion: Endotracheal intubation is associated with significantly higher postoperative throat morbidity compared to laryngeal mask airway, with female patients being more affected. LMA may be preferred in suitable cases to reduce postoperative discomfort and improve patient outcomes.
Keywords: Endotracheal Intubation, Laryngeal Mask Airway, Postoperative Sore Throat, Hoarseness, Airway Management, General Anaesthesia, Gender Differences, Mallampati Classification, Body Mass Index
How to cite this article: Gurram LP, Botta B, Balasubramanian K, Ramamurthy P, Senthil Kumar VS, Sanofer U. A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Postoperative Throat Complaints After Tracheal Intubation and Classic Laryngeal Mask Airway. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(4): 37. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.4.5
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None