Impact of laryngeal mask airway cuff pressures on the incidence of sore throat in children

Background: Hyperinflation of laryngeal mask airway cuffs can causeharm to the upper airway mainly by exerting high pressures onpharyngeal and laryngeal structures thus impairing mucosal perfusion.Although cuff manometers can be used to guide the monitoringof cuff pressures, their use is not routine in many institutions. In aprospective audit, we assessed the incidence of sore throat followingday-case-surgery in relation to the intracuff pressure within thelaryngeal mask airway.Methods: Four hundred children (3–21 years) were consecutivelyincluded in this study. The laryngeal mask airway was inflated asdeemed necessary by the attending anesthetist. Cuff pressures weremeasured using a calibrated cuff manometer (Portex Limited, Hythe,Kent, UK, 0–120 cmH2O, pressures exceeding the measurement rangewere set at 140 cmH2O for statistical purposes) at induction ofanesthesia.Results: Forty-five children (11.25%) developed sore throat, 32 (8%)sore neck and 17 (4.25%) sore jaw. Of those that developed sore throat,56.5% had cuff pressures exceeding >100 cmH2O. In contrast, whencuff pressures were