<![CDATA[Post Operative Sore Throat (POST) is a common complication following general anesthesia with endotracheal tube (ETT) intubation and may cause throat pain and discomfort after surgery. The duration of ETT placement is considered one of the factors associated with POST because prolonged contact and pressure between the tube and airway mucosa may increase the risk of irritation and tissue trauma. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the duration of ETT placement and the occurrence of POST in patients undergoing general anesthesia at RSUD dr. R. Goeteng Taroenadibrata Purbalingga. This study used a descriptive-analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. A total of 40 patients undergoing general anesthesia with ETT intubation were selected using total sampling. The duration of ETT placement was recorded from insertion until extubation, while postoperative throat pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Data were analyzed using the Spearman Rank correlation test. The results showed that most respondents had an ETT placement duration of 30–39 minutes, totaling 19 respondents (47.5%). Regarding throat pain, 14 respondents (35.0%) experienced severe pain, 12 respondents (30.0%) moderate pain, 11 respondents (27.5%) mild pain, and 3 respondents (7.5%) reported no pain. The Spearman Rank test showed a p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05) with a correlation coefficient of r=0.852, indicating a very strong positive relationship. Therefore, longer ETT placement was significantly associated with higher postoperative throat pain.]]>
