Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Postoperative sore throat: a systematic review*
Authors' conclusion
Despite the high incidence of postoperative sore throat, the current literature lacks high-quality randomised controlled trials on treatments that prevent a complication that is of importance to patients and their recovery.
Study context
- Population
- Patients in studies of interventions to prevent postoperative sore throat
- Participants
- 21,199 patients · 162 studies
- Comparison
- Interventions to prevent postoperative sore throat
- Outcome
- Incidence of postoperative sore throat
Methodological detailsnarrative synthesis, Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 assessment
- Narrative synthesis
- Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 assessment
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Pooled incidence of postoperative sore throat · 1 h
Further pooled results
| Outcome | Tracheal intubation | Supraglottic airway device |
|---|---|---|
| Pooled incidence of postoperative sore throat · 24 h | 16.4% (95% CI 13.6–19.8%) | 9.9% (95% CI 6.7–14.4%) |
- Pooled incidence of postoperative sore throat: 93 studies with tracheal intubation; 23 studies with supraglottic airway devices
Preventive interventions
- Benefit: cuff pressure ≤ 60 cmH2O for supraglottic airway devices and ≤ 30 cmH2O for tracheal tubes
- Benefit for tracheal tubes only: topical ketamine; IV or topical steroids; topical NSAIDs
Original publication
Postoperative sore throat: a systematic review*. Anaesthesia. Published 28 October 2025. doi:10.
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