iarjaccIARJACCIARJACC2709-1880https://doi.org/10.47310/iarjacc.2025.v06i02.003Comparison of Lidocaine and Dexamethasone in Alleviating Postoperative Sore Throat Following General Anaesthesia: A Comparative Study Among a Sample of Iraqi PatientsManal MahdiJawadM.B.Ch.B, F.I.C.M.S, Specialist in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Ministry of Health, IraqBackground: Following endotracheal intubation, postoperative sore throat (POST) is a recurrent complication and is regarded as a significant concern after surgery. Aim: To compare intravenous dexamethasone and lidocaine for the effectiveness in the prevention of POST. Patients and Method: A double-blind, randomized controlled, comparative study was conducted in the Private Nursing Home Hospital during the period from January to June 2025. A convenient sample of 150 pregnant women who were planned to undergo elective cesarean section under general anaesthesia was enrolled in the current study. Those patients were categorized into the dexamethasone group which involved 150 patients with intravenous dexamethasone (8 mg) ampule and the lidocaine group which involved 150 patients who received intravenous lidocaine with a dose of 1.5 mg/kg. Results: The higher incidence of POST was stated in the lidocaine group at 21.3% compared to the incidence in the dexamethasone group at 12.7%, this difference was significant with a P-value of 0.046. On the other hand, no significant difference was obtained between lidocaine and dexamethasone groups regarding the severity of POST (P-value=0.170). Conclusion: Dexamethasone use seemed to be more effective than lidocaine use in reducing the incidence of POST. It is recommended to use dexamethasone regularly to help lower the occurrence of POST.