Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 11, 88-100, Copyright © 1964 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

L'Hexafluorénium, potentialisateur de la succinylcholine

¹ L'Hôpital Saint-François d'Assise, et l'Hôpital Ste-Foy, Québec

The principal physical-chemical and pharmacological characteristics of hexafluorenium are outlined, and some of the biochemical facets of the action of acetylcholine and cholinesterases are discussed. The amplitude of the potentialization of succinylcholine by hexzfluorenium has been demonstrated, and the various techniques for using the mixture of hexafluorenium and succinylcholine have been discussed This study is based on fifty general anaesthetics chosen at random When hexafluorenium is associated with succinylcholine there is absence of muscular fibrillation and of the muscannic effects often attributed to succinylcholine alone The pulse, the blood pressure, and the electrocardiogram have been remarkably stable in each of our patients The potentialization of succinylcholine by hexafluorenium has seemed to us more pronounced with the use of methoxyflurane and an automatic respirator Two cases have been studied in detail and are shown in Tables II and III The first serves to illustrate our technique of measuring ventilation The second is a typical case of low blood level of pseudo-cholinesterase The use of hexafluorenium with succinylcholine is indicated in prolonged anaesthetics where one wishes to avoid the secondary effects of other curarizing drugs and to stay away from residual curarization where renal function is compromised It is contraindicated in situations where the level of pseudo-cholmesterase is likely to be low Succinylcholine potentialized by hexafluorenium is an additional arrow in the quiver of the anaesthetist All the curanzing agents used in multiple techniques retain their value and their indications Alongside these we believe that the mixture of hexafluorenium and succinylcholine merits a place in the sun