[Postoperative sore throat--a comparison of standard cuff, gas-barrier cuff and Brandt anesthesia tube cuff].

Excessive intracuff pressure due to nitrous oxide diffusion into the cuff can damage the tracheal mucosa. Several endotracheal tubes have been developed (Trachelon gas barrier type tube, Brandt Anaesthesia tube) to limit nitrous oxide-related intracuff pressure increase. We investigated whether the incidence of postoperative sore throat could be reduced by using these tubes. Endotracheal intubation was performed in 37 adult female patients with either a standard tube (group S, n = 14), a gas barrier type tube (group G, n = 11), or a Brandt tube (group B, n = 12). All patients were interviewed 16-30 h postoperatively by anesthesiologist who did not know which tube had been used. The increase of intracuff pressure was significantly lower in group G (7.6 +/- 5.1 mmHg, mean +/- SD) and in group B (3.4 +/- 1.7 mmHg) than that in group S (24.0 +/- 9.5 mmHg). The incidence of postoperative sore throat was not significantly different among the groups, 36% (5/14) in group S, 45% (5/11) in group G, and 33% (4/12) in Group B. This incidence did not correlate with intracuff pressure increase. In conclusion, specially manufactured endotracheal tubes to limit excessive intracuff pressure did not effectively attenuate the incidence of postoperative sore throat in this patient population.