Endotracheal intubation is the method of choice for providing an airway for general anesthesia and complications with minor and major consequences are well described, but those lesions that resulting from short-term endotracheal intubation have been discussed less extensively. In this regard, the authors evaluated 40 patients undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgical procedures. Patients were randomly assigned to have either a endotracheal tube of 7.0 or 8.0mm in I.D., or a bucking or nonbucking group. Within 4~8 hours following extubation, history taking and fiberoptic laryngotracheoscopy was performed to evaluate the extent and severity of laryngotracheal injury. The results were as follows : 1) The most common injury of larynx and trachea after short-term endotracheal intubation was erythema, and bucking was the most important contributing factor in the laryngotracheal injuries(p<0.05). 2) There was a correlation between the duration of endotracheal intubation and the severity of the laryngeal injury(p<0.05). 3) There was no relationship between the tube size and the severity of the laryngotracheal injury. 4) The most common injury sites of the larynx were posterior medial aspects of both vocal cords, which were usually combined with damage to the anterior medial portion of the arytenoid. In the trachea, the 3rd~5th tracheal ring was usually injured. 5) Seventeen and a half percent(7/40) of patients complained about throat discomfort but no other subjective symptoms.