Vecuronium induced intense neuromuscular blockade was evaluated in 40 USA class l, ll adult patients using the post tetanic count (PTC) and train-of-four(TOF) methods. All patients were anesthetized with thiopental sodium, nitrous oxide(50%), and enflurane(1~2%). Neuromuscular monitoring commended immediately after administration of thiopental sodium. The ulnar nerve was stimulated using surface electrodes and the mechanical response of the adductor policis muscle recorded using the Acclograph, neuromuscular transmission monitor. TOF nerve stimulation was used every 15s. After supramaximal stimulation was achieved a bolus of vecuronium 0.1mg/kg was injected intravenously. The traches was intubated when TOF response was depressed to 95% or above to control twitch height and the lungs ventilated with a tidal volume of 10ml/kg and a rate of 14 b.p.m. The patients were allocated randomly to two groups of 20 patients each. Patients in control group were allowed to recover TOF response spontaneously, and in PTC group were applied tetanic stimulation(50Hz for 5s) at 7 minutes intervals during no TOF response. In PTC group, the tetanic stimulation was preceded by a 30s period of 1Hz stimulation on each occasion, which was continued after the 3s pause. Duration of no TOF response in each group, and relationship between first post tetanic twitch height of PTC and time to first reaction to TOF nerve stimulation in PTC group were measured. In the results, duration of no TOF response was shortened by tetanic stimulation(p<0.01). There was a close inverse correlation between first post tetanic twitch height or PTC and time to first reaction to TOF nerve stimulation (p<0.01). It was concluded that PTC method appeared to be a valuable supplement to TOF nerve stimulation in assessment and trend for vecuronium induced intense neuromusclular blockade.
Adult ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Lung ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Neuromuscular Monitoring ; Thiopental ; Tidal Volume ; Ulnar Nerve ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Lithium, first used by Cade in 1949 for the treatment of mania, is now commonly used in several affective disorders. The precise mechanism of its action is not clearly understood but the side effects may be severe. Prolongation of succinylcholine and pancuronium which possible mechanism of interaction involves impaired acetylcholine synthesis and release at nerve terminal has been reported. The present report describes a case of prolonged neuromuscular blockade induced by succinylcholine in a manic depressive patient being treated with oral lithium carbonate.
Acetylcholine ; Bipolar Disorder ; Humans ; Juniperus ; Lithium Carbonate* ; Lithium* ; Mood Disorders ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Pancuronium ; Succinylcholine*

Recently, several studies have shown that the H2-receptor blockers can cause inhibition of cholinesstrase and neuromuscular blockade which suggest involvement of ion-chennel block in relatively large experimental dose. We investigated the effect of three H2-receptor blockers cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine on antagonism of vecuronium neuromuscular blockade. Forty ASA class 1 or 2 adult patients were studied. All patients were premedicated with hydroxyzine 1.5mg/kg and glycopyrrolat 0.2mg IM, 1hour before induction. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium 5~6 mg/kg, succinylcholine 1mg/kg and was maintained with 02-N20(50%)-enflurane. Intraoperative muscle relaxation was maintained below 5% of control twitch height on TOF stimulation by combined bolus IV(0.08mg/kg) and contino=uous infusion(0.08mg/kg/hour) of vecuronium. Patients were divided into four groups according to use of H2-receptor blocker just after stop of vecuronium infusion as follows: Control group (n=10): no use of H2-receptor blocker, Cimetidine group (n=10): cimetidine 200mg IV, Rantitidine group (n=10): rantidine 50 mg IV, Famotidine group (n=10): famotidine 50 mg IV. Reversal of neuromuscular blockade with neostigmine(0.04mg/kg) was performed at 10% recovery of first twitch height (T1) in all cases. The recovery of T1 and T4 ratio after reversal was measured at 1min, interval for 20 min. The results were as follows: 1) The recovery of twitch height after administration of neostigmine was prolonged in all three H2-receptor blocker groups as compared to control group, but statistical significance was noted only in Famotidine group (p<0.05). 2) The changes of heart rate and mean arterial pressure after administration of neostigmine were similar in all groups.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Cimetidine ; Famotidine ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hydroxyzine ; Muscle Relaxation ; Neostigmine ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Ranitidine ; Succinylcholine ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Until recently edrophonium has not been used in clinical anesthesis because of its short duration of action and poor anticholinesterase activity. However there has been a renewed interest in the use of edrophonium for the reversal of the new intermediate acting relaxants, vecuronium and atracurium, which have a fast spontaneous recovery rate. Edrophonim in sufficient dosages may produce a fast onset of antagonism of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade with minimal muscarinic side effects. The porpose of this study was therefore to compare the efficiency of edrophonium and neostigmine in reversal of a profound neuromuscular blockad following continuous infusion of vecuronium (0.06 mg/kg/hr). Recovery of T1 and T4 twitch height, change of heart rate and mean arterial pressure were obsered after antagonism with control mixture group (n=10): neostigmine 0.04mg/kg and atropin 0.02 mg/kg, and experimental mixture group (n=9): edrophoninm 0.5mg/kg and atropine 0.007 mg/kg were evaluated respectively at the 10% spontaneous recovery of T1 twitch height. Recovery of T1 was more faster in the edrophonium group than in the neostigmine group but it was significant until 5 minutes after antagonism (p<0.05) and recovery of T4 was also significantly faster in the edrophonium group until 5 minutes after antagonism but thereafter, conversly faster in the neostigmine group than in the edrophonium(p<0.05). Changes of heart rate with +/-5% after edrophonium administration were observed. We conclude that edrophonium provides a more rapid antagonism within 5 minutes after antagonizing vecuronium infusion, and small change in heart rate, but no other any advantage in using edrophomine instead of neostigmine for reversal after 5 minutes.
Arterial Pressure ; Atracurium ; Atropine ; Edrophonium* ; Heart Rate ; Neostigmine* ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Vecuronium Bromide*

A electrical safety in the operating room is one of important responsibility for the anesthesiologists and surgeons. When the patient is included in an electric circuit with poor ground during operation under the general anesthesia electrical accident might be occurred, such as sustained muscular contration with asphixia, impairment of CNS function, ventricular fibrillation, and more commonly, burn and other physiological injuries. Authors report an electrical burn on the right calf area (3X5 cm) and both heels by ground plate of electrosurgical unit which is probably poor contacts with the patient and review about its prevention and safety of electric practice.
Anesthesia, General ; Burns* ; Heel ; Humans ; Operating Rooms ; Ventricular Function

Technological advances in video camera, high resolution monitors and optical systems have produced considerable process in endoscopic surgery. Recently we have experienced transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy(TES) for the treatment of Buerger's disease of both hands in a 47 years old male healthy patient. For the TES, one lung ventilation is necessary to provide adequate surgical access, so this patient had general anesthesia with a disposable left sided Robertshaw double lumen endobronchial tube. The patient was monitored for arterial pressure, herat rate, ECG, pulse oximetry, end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration, peak inspired airway pressure and arterial blood gas analysis. Potenial intraoperative problems wese hypoxemia during one-lung anesthesia, hypotension and hypercarbia occurred by insufflation of carbon dioxide into the chest cavity. Our patient also developed moderate hypoxemia which was corrected by application of high frequency jet ventilation with low driving pressure during right sided operation, and increased significantly arterial carbon dioxide tension about 8-12 mmHg during one lung ansthesia. We reviewed our experience and discussed the anesthetic technique and perioperative problems encounterd in the patient undergoing transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy for Buerger's disease.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anoxia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Carbon Dioxide ; Electrocardiography ; Hand ; High-Frequency Jet Ventilation ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Insufflation ; Lung ; Male ; Middle Aged ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Optical Devices ; Oximetry ; Sympathectomy* ; Thorax ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans

Cimetidine, and H2-receptor blocker, is associated with a direct inhibition of liver microsomal enzymes and a decrease in liver blood flow which results in a variety of clinically significant drug interactions, but its effects on the action of muscle relaxants have not been established. Recently, Kambam et al(1987) reported that the duraion of action of succinylcholine was prolonged 2~2.5 times by cimetidine. The effects of cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine, on duration of action of succinylcholine and vecuronium were studied. Sixty ASA class 1 or 2 patients scheduled for elective exploratory laprotomies were randomly divided into two groups as follows: Succinylcholine Group(n=40, 1mg/kg) control group(n=10), cimetidine group(n=10): 300mg ph hs & 1 hour before induction, ranitidine group(n=10): 150mg po hs & 1 hour before induction, famotidine group(n=10) : 40mg po hs only. Vecuronimu Group(n=20, 0.08mg/kg) control group(n=10), famotidine group(n=10): 40 mg po hs only. All patients were premedicated with hydroxyzine(1.5mg/kg) and Robinul 0.2mg IM, 1 hour before anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium 5~6mg/kg and succinylcholine 1mg/kg or vecuronium 0.08mg/kg. Tracheal intubation was performed at 75~!00% block as monitored by train-of-four stimulation of the ulnar nerve at 2Hz, 20 seconds apart(ABM, Datex). Anesthesis was maintained with 50% nitrous oxide, oxygen, and 2% enflurane. The duration of action of the muscle relaxants was measured from injection of muscle relaxant to the time of 25% recovery of first twitch height on train-of-four stimulation. The results were as follows: 1) The duration of succinylcholine was prolonged significantly by the H2-receptor blockers, 8.3+/-1.49 minutes with cimetidine, 9.8+/-1.98 minutes with ranitidine, and 10.3+/-2.48 minutes in the famotidine group as compared to 6.9+/-1.43 minutes in the control(p<0.05). 2) The duration of action of vecuronium was not affected significantly by the H2-receptor blocker, 26.5+/-4.72 minutes in the famotidine group as compared to 23.6+/-4.52 minutes in the control(p>0.05).
Anesthesia ; Cimetidine ; Drug Interactions ; Enflurane ; Famotidine ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intubation ; Liver ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Ranitidine ; Succinylcholine* ; Thiopental ; Ulnar Nerve ; Vecuronium Bromide*

From September 1979 through April 1980, we had carried out continuous lumbar epidural anesthesia(2% lidocaine, 20ml) with small dose of morphine and single dose caudal anesthesia(2% lidocaine, 15-20ml) for 16 cases of lumbar laminectomy,And also we observed the effects of postanesthetic pain relief by administered morphine(2mg) into lumbar epidural space, The results of this study were as follows: 1) Age distribution was from 20 to 60 years, sex distribution was 14 in man and 2 in woman, and physical status was in ASA class I in all cases. 2) The site of herniated intervertebral disc was L4~5 in 15 cases and L3~4 in one, The epidural puncture site was selected 2~3 vertebral segments cephalad from the lesion, 3) The morphine amount administered with lidocaine into lumbar epidural space was 2mg in all cases. 4) The duration of pain relief from the induction of anesthesia was average 17. 5 hours, and from the additional epidural injection of morphine(2mg) in ward was average 13.5 hours. 5) There was no neurological deficit or sequele except nausea in one case postoperatively. Therefore this anesthetic method was not only satisfactory for laminectomy but also safer and simpler in the fixation of spinal anesthetic level by patient's position change than spinal anesthesia, and faster in the postanesthetic ambulation than general anesthesia. Moreover, surgeon's acceptability.
Age Distribution ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Caudal* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Intervertebral Disc ; Laminectomy* ; Lidocaine ; Methods ; Morphine* ; Nausea ; Punctures ; Sex Distribution ; Walking

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and electro physiologic characteristics of patients with multiple accessory pathways. Recently as endocardial mapping has become more and more accurate, multiple accessory pathways which were considered to be rare in the past, have become more commonly reported in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. METHODS: From February 1993 to June 2000, there were a total of 452 patients, who were confirmed to have accessary pathway mediated-tachyarrhythmias diagnosed by electrophysiologic study. Among those, 19 patients had multiple accessory pathways, and were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: Among the 19 patients, thirteen patients were male and six were female, and their mean age was 36.5+/-16.17 years. All patients had 2 accessory pathways. The distribution of the location of the accessory pathways was at the left free wall (71.1%), right free wall (18.4%) and posteroseptal wall (10.5%). The most common combination pattern was the left free wall and left free wall (57.9%) and the most common anatomical areas were the left lateral wall and left posterior wall (36.8%). The success rate of the catheter ablation was 84.2% (16/19). The recurrence rate after the radiofrequency catheter ablation was 31.3% (5/16) and the most common recurrence site was left free wall (60.0%, 3/5). CONCLUSION: These results indicated that the clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics of the multiple accessory pathway patients with WPW syndrome in our study were similar to those of western countries.
Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence ; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

No abstract available.
Eosinophilia* ; Fever* ; Glomerulonephritis*