Purpose: Succinylcholine has been the agent of choice when clinical conditions require emergency airway protection during a rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia. However, the administration of succinylcholine is not without its problems. One of its side effects is the occurrence of fasciculations. To prevent fasciculations, a nonparalyzing dose of a nondepolarizing neuromuscular-blocking drug (pretreatment) is given prior to the actual administration of succinylcholine. Atracurium is one of the most popular nondepolarizing muscle relaxants used for pretreatment. Rocuronium is a novel non depolarizing muscle relaxant, that has a promising potential as a pretreatment drug. The objective of this trial was to determine the efficacy of rocuronium as a pretreatment drug and compare it with atracurium and placebo. Methods: Sixty ASA I and II patients about to undergo an emergency operation under rapid sequence induction of general anesthesia patients were enrolled in this double blind study. They were randomly divided into 3 groups of 20 according to the nondepolarizing pretreatment to be used: 0.9 percent NaCl (control), 0.05 mg/kg atracurium and 0.06 mg/kg rocuronium. Two minutes after pretreatment, succinylcholine at 1.5 mg/kg was injected. The presence and magnitude of fasciculations and the ease of tracheal intubation were assessed. Results: There was no difference among the three groups with respect to age, sex distribution and weight. Fasciculations occurred in 42 (70 percent) out of the 60 patients: 9 (45 percent) in the rocuronium group, 13 (65 percent) in the atracurium group and 20 (100 percent) in the saline group, P0.05. The severity of fasciculations was significantly lowest in the rocuronium group, followed by the atracurium group, and was highest with the saline or control group. Intubating conditions were rated as excellent, good, fair or poor in all patients. There was no statistically significant difference among groups. Conclusion: Rocuronium is superior to atracurium in preventing and reducing the intensity of fasciculations induced by succinylcholine, with no difference in the intubating conditions. Its use therefore in rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia as pretreatment is highly recommended, because it facilitates immediate airway intubation devoid of fasciculations and its undesirable effects. (Author)
Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; FASCICULATIONS ; ROCURONIUM ; ATRACURIUM ; SUCCINYLCHOLINE ; ANESTHESIA, GENERAL ; INTUBATION