Abstract: Objective To analyze the incidence and influencing factors of postoperative hoarseness among patients undergoing general anesthesia. Methods The perioperative data of patients underwent cardiac surgeries under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation from January 2014 to December 2014 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were analyzed. Patients were divided into hoarseness group and control group based on whether presented with postoperative hoarseness respectively. The general information, operation and anesthesia data, and postoperative intubation time were investigated. Patients were then allocated to different groups according to postoperative intubation time and the incidence of hoarseness were calculated. The effect of intubation time on hoarseness incidence was examined by correlation analysis subsequently. Results 218 patients were enrolled in the study, and a total of 12 patients developed with postoperative hoarseness. The average postoperative intubation time of the hoarseness group was significantly longer than the control group (P<0.01). Spearman rank correlation analysis confirmed the positive effect of prolonged postoperative intubation time on hoarseness incidence (P<0.05). Conclusion In patients undergoing cardiac surgeries, the postoperative intubation time of the patients with hoarseness was significantly longer. Also, the incidence of postoperative hoarseness increased with prolonged intubation time.

Key words: general anesthesia, endotracheal intubation, postoperative intubation time, hoarseness