Licorice Versus Sugar-water Gargling for Pain in Patients Recovering From Ear-Nose-Throat and Maxilla-Facial Surgery

Licorice Versus Sugar-water Gargling for Pain in Patients Recovering From Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) and Maxilla-Facial Surgery - A Randomized, Double-blind Study

Our primary aim is to determine whether licorice gargling provides meaningful analgesia after oral surgery. Specifically, we propose to test the primary hypothesis that gargling with licorice solution reduces pain after oral surgery more than gargling with sugar water. Because effective analgesia can reduce pain and/or opioid consumption, we will jointly evaluate verbal response pain scores and overall morphine consumption considering licorice to be beneficial only if it proves non-inferior on both measures and superior on at least one.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Oropharyngeal surgeries including:Panendoscopic surgery; elective tonsillectomy/adenotonsillectomy; demarcation and biopsy of suspected tongue carcinoma
2. Anticipated extubation in the operating room
3. American Society of Anesthesia physical status 1-3

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Rapid Sequence Induction
2. Known or suspected allergy to licorice or its ingredients
3. Liver failure with bleeding disorders
4. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
5. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug medication within 24 hours before surgery
6. Chronic opioid use
7. Dementia or inability to use an iv Patient-Controlled-Analgesia (PCA) pump
8. superinfected oropharyngeal tumors
9. Planned postoperative mechanical ventilation or admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU)