rocuronium and Pneumonia--Aspiration

Previous studies mainly conducted on elective patients recommend doses of 0.9-1.2 mg kg[-1] rocuronium to obtain comparable intubation conditions with succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] after 60 s during a rapid-sequence induction. We decided to compare the overall intubating conditions of standard doses of rocuronium 0.6 mg kg[-1] and succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] during a strict rapid-sequence induction regimen including propofol and alfentanil.. Male and female patients (ASA I-III) older than 17 yr scheduled for emergency abdominal or gynaecological surgery and with increased risk of pulmonary aspiration of gastric content were randomized to a rapid-sequence induction with succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] or rocuronium 0.6 mg kg[-1]. Patients with a predicted difficult airway were excluded. A senior anaesthesiologist 'blinded' for the randomization performed the intubation 60 s after injection of the neuromuscular blocker. Intubating conditions were evaluated according to an established guideline. Tracheal intubation not completed within 30 s was recorded as failed.. 222 patients were randomized. Three patients had their operation cancelled and 10 did not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Clinically acceptable intubation conditions were present in 93.5% and 96.1% of patients in the succinylcholine group (n=107) and the rocuronium group (n=102), respectively (P=0.59).. During a rapid-sequence induction with alfentanil and propofol, both rocuronium 0.6 mg kg[-1] and succinylcholine 1.0 mg kg[-1] provide clinically acceptable intubation conditions in 60 s in patients scheduled for emergency surgery. Under the conditions of this rapid-sequence induction regimen rocuronium may be a substitute for succinylcholine.

Topics: Abdomen; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alfentanil; Androstanols; Anesthesia, Intravenous; Anesthetics, Intravenous; Blood Pressure; Double-Blind Method; Emergency Medical Services; Female; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; Heart Rate; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Male; Middle Aged; Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; Pneumonia, Aspiration; Propofol; Risk; Rocuronium; Succinylcholine

We compared the endotracheal intubating conditions after rocuronium, using the "timing principle," with those after succinylcholine. The timing principle entails administration of a single bolus dose of nondepolarizing muscle relaxant, followed by an induction drug at the onset of clinical weakness. Forty-five patients were randomly assigned to three groups. Patients allocated to Groups 1 and 2 received rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg. At the onset of clinical weakness (onset of ptosis), anesthesia was induced with thiopental 4-6 mg/kg; intubation was accomplished after 45 s in Group 1 and after 60 s in Group 2. Patients in Group 3 received vecuronium (0.01 mg/kg) 3 min before the administration of thiopental and succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg, and their tracheas were intubated 60 s later by a blind anesthesiologist. Intubating conditions were assessed according to a grading scale and were either good (5 patients in Groups 1 and 2, 4 patients in Group 3) or excellent (10 patients in Groups 1 + 2, 11 patients in Group 3) in all patients. Patients were interviewed postoperatively, and all were satisfied with the induction of anesthesia. We conclude that rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg provides good to excellent intubating conditions 45 and 60 s after the induction of anesthesia using the timing principle.. We compared the ease with which a breathing tube could be placed in patients using three techniques. The standard technique (succinylcholine) was compared with two others in which a muscle-relaxing drug (rocuronium) was administered just before the anesthetic drug (so-called timing principle). No difference among the techniques was observed.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Androstanols; Female; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Male; Middle Aged; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; Pneumonia, Aspiration; Rocuronium; Time Factors

Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Androstanols; Anesthesia, Intravenous; Anesthetics, Intravenous; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Delayed Emergence from Anesthesia; Dermatomyositis; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Humans; Intraoperative Complications; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; Parathyroid Neoplasms; Parathyroidectomy; Piperidines; Pneumonia, Aspiration; Preanesthetic Medication; Propofol; Remifentanil; Risk; Rocuronium

The present study evaluates the use of muscle relaxants for rapid-sequence induction (RSI) and different application techniques (pre-curarisation, priming, timing) as a part of a nationwide survey in Germany. In 86.8% of anaesthesia departments succinylcholine is used for RSI and an average of 56.5% of respondents used only succinylcholine for RSI. Of all non-depolarising muscle relaxants rocuronium is the most frequently used alternative. Of the anaesthesia departments 2.6% use rocuronium regularly in patients with increased risk for aspiration of stomach contents; level one centres significantly more than others, 12.9% answered that pre-curarisation techniques were never used, whereas 45.6% use non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking drugs before giving succinylcholine in 80-100% of cases. Priming is not used by 64.4% of respondents, as opposed to 9.8% who utilise this technique regularly. The statements regarding timing are 71.1% and 5.4%, respectively. Alcuronium is used for RSI in departments in which the financial aspect is the primary decision criteria. Despite ist known side-effects and the on-going discussion over the past years, succinylcholine is still the most frequently used muscle relaxants for RSI. Priming is often declined by anaesthetists in Germany, most probably due to the absence of clear advantages and the possibility of severe complications. It is the opinion of the authors that timing but also drugs with a slow onset (e.g., alcuronium and Pancuronium) are obsolete in the context of RSI.

Topics: Alcuronium; Androstanols; Anesthesia; Data Collection; Drug Utilization; Germany; Humans; Muscle Relaxants, Central; Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; Pneumonia, Aspiration; Risk; Rocuronium; Succinylcholine

Rapid-sequence induction with cricoid pressure is a standard procedure for inducing anesthesia in patients with a potentially full stomach. During the induction period, if the patient develops generalized movements of the body, the pressure level of the cricoid may change unexpectedly. As a result, the increase in intragastric pressure may cause gastric regurgitation and consequent pulmonary aspiration. Rocuronium has been widely used as an alternative to succinylcholine during the induction of anesthesia. However, most patients who received rocuronium complained of severe burning pain in their arm during intravenous injection. Even after the administration of the induction agents, rocuronium injection can also cause withdrawal of the hand or other generalized movements of the body. We describe a case of gastric regurgitation with pulmonary aspiration following generalized spontaneous movements associated with rocuronium injection in a girl who received pediatric emergent surgery.

Topics: Androstanols; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Movement; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; Pneumonia, Aspiration; Rocuronium