Tracheal tube cuff pressure in the range of 20 to 30 cmH2O is considered safe, but it is quite common to encounter cuff pressure outside this range in patients with tracheal intubation. Moreover, objective cuff pressure measurement and monitoring are not routinely applied, especially in general anesthesia practice. Overinflation of the cuff can potentially impair tracheal mucosal blood flow. This may lead to various tracheal injuries such as mucosal inflammation, mucosal ischemia, tracheal ulceration, tracheal stenosis, tracheoesophageal fistula, and tracheal rupture. Conversely, inadequate cuff inflation can lead to inadequate ventilation and microaspiration. The importance of routine cuff pressure measurement and pressure adjustment to keep the pressure in the desired range is emphasized in preventing such side effects in intubated patients. Despite this recommendation for routine intracuff pressure measurement, the methods used to measure and monitor cuff pressure vary from subjective estimation techniques to objective measurements, and there is a lack of specific protocols and documents in the current literature. For this purpose, in this study, it was aimed to perform continuous cuff pressure measurement monitoring using the transducer of the invasive pressure monitoring device, which is routinely used in arterial or central venous pressure monitoring, and to test the effectiveness of this method in reducing cuff-related complications including sore throat, hoarseness, and dysphagia compared to the intermittent monitoring method.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-65 years of age adult patients
• Elective non-head-neck surgical procedures under nitrous oxide (N2O)-free general anesthesia
• Patients orally intubated with a cuffed endotracheal tube facilitated by neuromuscular blockers
• Surgeries with neutral head-neck position

Exclusion Criteria:

• Emergency surgery
• Laparoscopic surgery
• Head and neck surgeries including nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx and throat
• Surgeries with non-supine patient position
• Patients with preoperative sore throat, cough, hoarseness or dysphagia, history of smoking, asthma or COPD, severe cardiovascular disease, inability to obtain consent, having any lesions detected in the pharynx or larynx during laryngoscopy
• Use of double lumen tracheal tube
• Use of a naso- or orogastric tube or any pharyngeal catheter
• Intraoperative nitrous oxide use
• Difficult intubation or repeated endotracheal intubation attempt
• Patients who strain during endotracheal extubation
• High PEEP (greater than 5 cmH2O) application

Adult patients scheduled for elective non-head-neck surgical procedures under N2O-free general anesthesia and orally intubated with a cuffed endotracheal tube facilitated by neuromuscular blockers.

All data were anonymized by the local researcher. Therefore, data collection was pseudonymous and the patient's name did not appear on any case report form or other study document. All collected data were kept confidential. This study was conducted in accordance with the revision of the Declaration of Helsinki (2008). ICH-GCP was strictly adhered to.