RECALL OF DISCOMFORT DURING TRACHEAL EXTUBATION FOLLOWING GENERAL ANAESTHESIA: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Dr. Insha Quraishi; Dr. Mohammad Sadiq Malla; Dr. Muskan Manzoor; Dr. Israr ul Haq; Dr. Sayema Javed Rana; Dr. Hina Bashir

Authors

Dr. Insha Quraishi Assistant professor, Department of Anesthesiology and critical care government medical college Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Author
Dr. Mohammad Sadiq Malla Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and critical care government medical college Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Author
Dr. Muskan Manzoor Post graduate scholar, Department of Anesthesiology and critical care government medical college Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Author
Dr. Israr ul Haq Assistant professor, Department of Anesthesiology and critical care government medical college Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Author
Dr. Sayema Javed Rana Senior Resident, Department of Anesthesiology and critical care government medical college Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Author
Dr. Hina Bashir Professor & Head, Department of Anesthesiology and critical care government medical college Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Author

Keywords:

Tracheal Extubation, General Anaesthesia, Recall, Discomfort, Postoperative Experience, Airway Management.

Abstract

Background: Tracheal extubation is a critical phase of general anaesthesia during which patients may experience discomfort or partial awareness. Although intraoperative awareness has been widely studied, recall of discomfort during extubation remains underexplored.

Aim: This study aimed to estimate the proportion of patients who recall discomfort during tracheal extubation and to evaluate its characteristics.

Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital and included 308 adult patients (ASA I–II) undergoing elective surgeries under general anaesthesia. Standard anaesthetic protocols were followed for all patients. Postoperatively, patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to assess recall of extubation, presence of discomfort, type, intensity (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS), and duration of symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Out of 308 patients, 10 (3.2%) reported recall of the extubation process, while 298 (96.8%) had no memory of the event. Discomfort during extubation was reported by 4 patients (1.3%), whereas 304 (98.7%) experienced no discomfort. Among those with discomfort, the most common symptom was sore throat (50%), followed by coughing (25%) and choking or breathing difficulty (25%). The intensity of discomfort was mild (NRS 1–3) in all patients (100%), with no cases of moderate or severe discomfort. The duration of symptoms was less than 5 minutes in all cases (100%), indicating transient and self-limiting discomfort.

Conclusion: Recall of discomfort during tracheal extubation is rare (1.3%) and, when present, is typically mild and short-lived. Standard anaesthetic practices appear effective in minimizing both awareness and distress during extubation. These findings provide reassurance regarding patient comfort and support the safety of routine extubation techniques.