Effects of Dexmedetomidine Combined With Lidocaine Topical Administration on Cough Reflex During Extubation in Thyroidectomy Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Summary: Waking up from throat surgery can be scary, especially if you start coughing while the breathing tube is being removed. Coughing can cause bleeding and other dangerous problems. Doctors wanted to find a way to stop this from happening. They tested 180 women having thyroid surgery. Before putting the breathing tube in, they sprayed different medicines into the patients' throats. One group got a mix of two medicines (dexmedetomidine and lidocaine), one got just lidocaine, and the last got saltwater. The mix of two medicines worked the best! Only 23% of women who got the mix coughed when waking up, compared to 70% who got the saltwater. It also helped prevent sore throats.