The effects of anesthesia method on throat pain after elective rhinoplasty

Throat pain is a common postoperative complaint. In this study, we aimed to determine its incidence of throat pain after rhinoplasty by general anesthesia (GA) or conscious sedation (CS).

We evaluated throat pain in postanesthesia care unit, 4, 12 and 24 hours after surgery using a numerical rating scale (NRS) in a clinical trial. A total number of 252 consecutive females aging over 18 years undergoing GA or CS for elective rhinoplasty entered the study after implementing inclusion and exclusion criteria. A logistic regression model was used to predict having throat pain.

The incidence of throat pain after CS and GA in postanesthesia care unit, 4, 12 and 24 hours after rhinoplasty were 34.9% vs. 34.9% (P = 0.99), 27.0% vs. 33.3% (P = 0.27), 14.3% vs. 22.2% (P = 0.10), 10.3% vs. 15.9% (P = 0.19), respectively. The odds ratio for throat pain was statistically significant for nausea/vomiting in postanesthesia care unit (OR = 11.1, 95% CI: 5.7-21.8; P < 0.0001).

Method of anesthesia had no independent role in predicting throat pain. Although larynx of subjects undergoing general anesthesia is manipulated by tracheal intubation, sedation has its specific risks for promoting throat pain after surgery. Therefore, neither CS nor GA is superior in terms of throat pain.