Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 26, 94-98, Copyright © 1979 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Relation of Precurarization to Suxamethonium to Provide Ease of Intubation and to Prevent Post-Suxamethonium Muscle Pains

¹ Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Researh, Chandigarh, India

Address for Correspondence: Dr. J. Wig, 11-H/7, Sector 12, P.G.I. Campus, Chandigarh-160012, India.

Tubocurarine 0.05 and 0.07 mg·kg^-1, gallamine 0.1 and 0.2 mg·kg^-1 and pancuronium 0.01 and 0.02 mg·kg^-1 given three minutes before suxamethonium 1.0, 1.5 and 2 mg·kg^-1 in groups of 10 patients each (total 210 patients) to compare ease of tracheal intubation and incidence of post-suxamethonium muscle pain. These were compared with a control group of suxamethonium 1.0, 1.5 and 2 mg·kg^-1 given alone after thiopentone 5 mg·kg^-1. On analysis, tubocurarine 0.07 mg·kg^-1 and suxamethonium 2 mg·kg^-1 was the ideal combination with the best intubation conditions and the lowest incidence of post-suxamethonium muscle pains. The second best combination was gallamine 0.2 mg·kg^-1 and suxamethonium 2 mg·kg^-1. Pancuronium 0.01 mg·kg^-1 and 0.02 mg·kg^-1 in combination with suxamethonium 2 mg·kg^-1 were satisfactory, although less efficient than the combination with either tubocurarine or gallamine.