Predictors of Postoperative pharyngeal complaints in children undergoing surgery under general anesthesia at Hawassa university comprehensive specialized hospital, a prospective observational study

BackgroundPostoperative pharyngeal complaints are common but minor complications following surgery and are commonly reported during postoperative visits. These complaints includes sore throat, dysphagia, and hoarseness, which can significantly impact a childs comfort, overall well-being and satisfaction after surgery. Identifying and understanding the predictors of these postoperative pharyngeal complaints is crucial to improve the overall outcomes in children undergoing surgery. This study aimed to assess the predictors of postoperative pharyngeal complaints in children undergoing surgery under general anesthesia. MethodsA prospective observational study was conducted among children aged 6 to 16 years who underwent emergency and elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26 software packages. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the independent predictors of postoperative pharyngeal complaint. The postoperative pharyngeal complaints (Sore throat, dysphagia and hoarseness) were assessed at 2nd, 6th, 12th, and 24th hours postoperatively. ResultA total of 102 patients were included in this study, of which 68 of them male. The result of this study showed the overall incidence of postoperative pharyngeal complaints was 32.4%; whereas the incidence of postoperative sore throat 26.5%, cough 5.9%, Postoperative hoarseness 2.9% and dysphagia 4.9% of participants. Endotracheal intubation was identified as the only independent predictors of postoperative pharyngeal complaints with p-values of 0.01 (AOR-3.846, 95% CI [1.385-10.682]). ConclusionThis study revealed the overall incidence of postoperative pharyngeal complaints was 32.4%. Endotracheal intubation was identified as the only independent predictors of postoperative pharyngeal complaints in children in this study.