The effect of priming dose of vecuronium on the diaphragm and the hypothenar muscle
Tatsumi, K.; Hirai, K.; Fukushima, T.; Einaga, T.; Furuya, H.; Okuda, T.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 43(3): 374-377
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 7910220 Document Number: 435663
We studied the relaxation property of priming or precurarization vecuronium dose (0.015 mg cntdot kg-1) on the diaphragm and the abductor digiti minimi muscle in 8 healthy patients undergoing elective surgery. Patients had control ventilation (PET-CO-2: 35 apprx 40 mmHg) by the laryngeal mask under "thiopental-fentanyl-oxygen" anesthesia. Supramaximal single twitch stimulation with 1 Hz frequency was applied to right phrenic and ulnar nerves. Flectromyographic response was recorded using NEC Synax ER1100 (NEC, Sanei, Tokyo, Japan) by surface electrodes in the 8th intercostal space and the hypothenar. Time to maximum blockade at the diaphragm was 189 +- 37 sec, compared with 314 +- 39 at the abductor digiti minimi muscle (P lt 0.01). This result suggests that we should be careful about the respiratory state of primed or precurarized patients with small dose of vecuronium such as 0.015 mg cntdot kg-1 administration.