• Prakash Zodpe, Jae Gu Cho, Hee Joon Kang, Soon Jae Hwang, and Heung-Man Lee.
• Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Communication Disorder Institute of Medical Science Research Center, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
• Arch Otolaryngol. 2006 Oct 1; 132 (10): 1082-5.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of sucralfate in influencing throat pain, otalgia, analgesic requirement, bleeding, mucosal recovery, and incidence of postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.DesignA prospective double-blind randomized study.SettingUniversity-affiliated tertiary referral hospital.ParticipantsEighty adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome requiring uvulopalatopharyngoplasty were recruited and randomly allocated into either a sucralfate treatment group or a control group.InterventionsAll patients underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Patients enrolled in the sucralfate group (n=40) were instructed to gargle the sucralfate suspension and then to swallow. Patients enrolled in the control group (n=40) were instructed to gargle placebo suspension at the same doses and schedule.Main Outcome MeasuresPostoperative throat pain, otalgia, amount of analgesic required, degree of strength (defined as patients' general well-being and return to regular daily activities), percentage of mucosal covering, and postoperative bleeding.ResultsThroat pain and otalgia occurred significantly less often in sucralfate group, with less analgesic requirement and with rapid mucosal healing and early return to regular daily activities. There was no significant difference in episodes of postoperative bleeding between the 2 groups (P=.37).ConclusionsAlthough sucralfate therapy may not provide complete analgesia after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, it may reduce the amount of analgesic required, thus preventing dose-related adverse effects from the analgesic agent. It can also significantly reduce the total number of days needed to return to normal daily activities (P=.41).

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