Preoperative Ketamine Gargle for Prevention of Postoperative Sore Throat After Tracheal Intubation in Adults: A Meta-Analysis.
Pain research & management January 1, 2025 Saihao Fu, Mengrong Miao, Jing Bian et al.
A meta-analysis of ten randomized controlled trials involving 593 patients found that gargling with ketamine before surgery significantly reduced the incidence of sore throat at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after endotracheal intubation for general anesthesia, compared to a placebo. The odds of sore throat were 86% lower immediately after surgery and remained 64% lower at 24 hours. Ketamine gargle did not shorten anesthesia time. The analysis suggests that this simple, low-cost intervention can effectively prevent postoperative throat pain.