Pharyngeal Mucosal Conditioning to Prevent Postoperative Sore Throat in Septoplasty Patients With Severe Nasal Obstruction (POST-MUCOSAL R)

October 31, 2026 updated by: Mohamed Ahmed Tolba, Mansoura University

Multimodal Pharyngeal Mucosal Conditioning Versus Standard Care for Prevention of Postoperative Sore Throat in Septoplasty Patients With Severe Preoperative Nasal Obstruction: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Postoperative sore throat (POST) affects 21-65% of patients after endotracheal intubation and is among the most common complaints after general anesthesia. Patients presenting for septoplasty with severe nasal obstruction (NOSE score ≥55) are habitual chronic mouth-breathers, having bypassed nasal air conditioning for months to years preoperatively. This produces a documented state of pharyngeal mucosal dehydration and inflammation that precedes any surgical event - making these patients a distinct high-risk subgroup for POST that has never been identified or studied.

This double-blind RCT will test whether a simple, low-cost multimodal pharyngeal mucosal conditioning strategy - nebulized 0.9% normal saline (5 mL over 15 minutes, 30 minutes before induction) combined with a water-soluble lubricant gel applied to the endotracheal tube - reduces POST incidence and severity compared to standard care (sham nebulization plus plain water on the ETT).

105 adults aged 18-60 years with NOSE score ≥55 scheduled for elective septoplasty under general anesthesia will be randomized 1:1. The primary outcome is POST incidence at 1 hour post-extubation assessed by a blinded PACU nurse. Secondary outcomes include POST severity (VAS 0-10) at 1h, 6h, and 24h; hoarseness; dysphagia; PONV; time to first analgesic; and preoperative pharyngeal mucosal hydration measured by the Modified Schirmer Test.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

Existing literature on POST in nasal surgery treats all septoplasty patients as homogeneous, regardless of nasal obstruction severity. Patients with severe obstruction (NOSE score ≥55) are chronic mouth-breathers who bypass normal nasal air humidification, producing measurable pharyngeal mucosal dehydration, epithelial thinning, and chronic dry inflammation - a pre-existing vulnerability amplified by intubation and throat pack placement.

INTERVENTION:

Group A (Intervention): Nebulized 0.9% NaCl (5 mL, 15 min via compressor jet nebulizer, particle size 2-5 µm) administered 30 minutes pre-induction with patient breathing through mouth; plus water-soluble lubricant gel (K-Y Jelly or equivalent) applied to ETT cuff and distal 5 cm.

Group B (Control): Sham nebulization (room air, identical device and duration); ETT lubricated with plain water only.

STANDARDIZED PROTOCOL (both groups):

Induction: propofol 1.5-2 mg/kg + fentanyl 1-2 µg/kg + rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg. Maintenance: sevoflurane 1.0-1.5 MAC in O2/Air (no nitrous oxide). ETT cuff maintained at 20-25 cmH2O (checked every 30 minutes by calibrated aneroid manometer). Standardized saline-soaked throat pack for all patients. Awake extubation with single gentle suction.

NOVEL ELEMENTS:

  1. First RCT to enroll nasal surgery patients specifically by NOSE score severity
  2. First study to test preoperative mucosal conditioning as a POST prevention strategy in chronic mouth-breathers
  3. Preoperative mucosal hydration measured by Modified Schirmer Test and VAS dryness score before and after nebulization

RANDOMIZATION AND BLINDING:

Computer-generated block randomization (variable blocks of 4 and 6), stratified by NOSE severity (55-75 vs 80-100). Allocation concealed via sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelopes. Outcome assessor and patient blinded; anesthesiologist not blinded but is not the outcome assessor.

SAMPLE SIZE:

n=105 (52-53/group); 80% power; two-sided alpha=0.05; anticipated 65% POST incidence in control group; clinically meaningful absolute reduction of 35%; 15% dropout allowance.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
105

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Saudi Arabia
    • Al-Qassim Region
      • Buraidah, Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia, 51452
        • Recruiting
        • Qassim University Medical City
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 to 60 years
  • ASA physical status I or II
  • NOSE score ≥55 (severe or extreme nasal obstruction category) at preoperative assessment
  • Duration of nasal obstruction symptoms ≥6 months
  • Scheduled for elective septoplasty ± turbinoplasty under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation
  • Mallampati class I or II
  • BMI ≤35 kg/m²
  • Written informed consent obtained

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current or past smoker (any amount)
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
  • Known pharyngeal or laryngeal pathology
  • Active upper respiratory tract infection within 2 weeks of scheduled surgery
  • Preoperative sore throat or baseline pharyngeal pain at time of assessment
  • Anticipated difficult airway (Mallampati class III-IV, mouth opening less than 3 cm)
  • ACE inhibitor use (causes dry cough, confounds POST assessment)
  • Concurrent tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, or rhinoplasty extending operative time beyond 90 minutes
  • Known allergy to lubricant gel components
  • Severe systemic disease affecting mucosal hydration (Sjögren's syndrome, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease)
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Previous participation in this study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Group A - Multimodal Pharyngeal Mucosal Conditioning

Nebulized 0.9% normal saline (5 mL over 15 minutes via compressor jet nebulizer, particle size 2-5 µm) administered 30 minutes before anesthetic induction with patient breathing through the mouth; followed by water-soluble lubricant gel (K-Y Jelly or equivalent) applied uniformly to the ETT cuff and distal 5 cm immediately before intubation.
Device: Nebulized 0.9% Normal Saline

0.9% Normal saline 5 mL nebulized over 15 minutes via compressor jet nebulizer (target particle size 2-5 µm) administered 30 minutes before anesthetic induction, with patient breathing normally through the mouth to maximize pharyngeal deposition.

Device: Water-Soluble Lubricant Gel on Endotracheal Tube

Water-soluble lubricant gel (K-Y Jelly or bioequivalent) applied uniformly to the ETT cuff outer surface and distal 5 cm of the ETT shaft immediately before endotracheal intubation.
Sham Comparator: Group B - Standard Care (Sham Control)

Sham nebulization using an identical compressor device delivering room air only (15 minutes, same duration and posture as active arm); ETT lubricated with plain water only - current institutional standard practice.
Device: Sham Nebulization

Identical compressor nebulizer device delivering room air only, operated for 15 minutes. Device produces the same sound and airflow as the active nebulizer. No saline delivered.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of Postoperative Sore Throat (POST) at 1 Hour Post-Extubation
Time Frame: 1 hour after extubation

POST assessed by a blinded PACU nurse using a validated 4-point categorical scale: 0 = no sore throat; 1 = mild (only on direct questioning, no analgesic required); 2 = moderate (spontaneous complaint, non-opioid analgesic given); 3 = severe (spontaneous complaint, opioid analgesic required). POST is considered present if score ≥1.
1 hour after extubation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
POST Severity - Visual Analogue Scale
Time Frame: 1 hour, 6 hours, and 24 hours post-extubation

POST severity scored on VAS 0-10 (0=no pain, 10=worst imaginable pain) by blinded assessor at 1h, 6h, and 24h.
1 hour, 6 hours, and 24 hours post-extubation
Incidence and Severity of Hoarseness
Time Frame: Hoarseness graded 0-3 (0=none; 1=mild/perceived only; 2=moderate/noticed by others; 3=severe/aphonia).

1 hour, 6 hours, and 24 hours post-extubation
Hoarseness graded 0-3 (0=none; 1=mild/perceived only; 2=moderate/noticed by others; 3=severe/aphonia).
Incidence and Severity of Dysphagia
Time Frame: 1 hour and 6 hours post-extubation

Dysphagia graded 0-3 (0=none; 1=mild; 2=moderate/significant difficulty; 3=severe/unable to swallow).
1 hour and 6 hours post-extubation
Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Time Frame: 6 hours and 24 hours post-extubation
6 hours and 24 hours post-extubation
Time to First Analgesic Request for Throat Pain
Time Frame: From extubation to 24 hours post-extubation

Time in minutes from extubation to first patient-initiated request for analgesia specifically for throat pain.
From extubation to 24 hours post-extubation
Preoperative Pharyngeal Mucosal Hydration
Time Frame: Before and after nebulization/sham, approximately 30-40 minutes pre-induction

Mucosal hydration measured by patient VAS dryness score (0-10). Measured before and after nebulization to confirm intervention effect.
Before and after nebulization/sham, approximately 30-40 minutes pre-induction
Patient Satisfaction with Recovery
Time Frame: 24 hours post-extubation

Numerical Rating Scale 0-10 (0=completely unsatisfied, 10=completely satisfied).
24 hours post-extubation
Dose-Response Correlation - NOSE Score and POST Severity
Time Frame: 24 hours (pooled data)

Exploratory Pearson/Spearman correlation between preoperative NOSE score (continuous variable) and POST VAS across both groups
24 hours (pooled data)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Mansoura University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mohamed Ahmed Tolba, MD, Mansoura University - Qassim University Medical City

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 15, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 6, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 6, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 31, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • QU-IRB-26-40-09-2026
  • 26-40-09 (Other Identifier: Qassim University Bioethics IRB)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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