CJA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a scholarly reply
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by GIFFIN, J. P.
Right arrow Articles by CAPUANO, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by GIFFIN, J. P.
Right arrow Articles by CAPUANO, C.

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 32, 618-621, Copyright © 1985 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Intracranial Pressure, Mean Arterial Pressure and Heart Rate after Rapid Paralysis with Atracurium in Cats

JOSEPH P. GIFFIN MD1, BRAD LITWAK MD1, JAMES E. COTTRELL MD1, JOHN HARTUNG PHD1, and CHRISTINE CAPUANO BS1

1 Departments of Anaesthesiology, Kings County Hospital Center and State University Hospital, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York

Address correspondence to: Dr. James E. Cottrell, Department of Anesthesiology, Downstate Medical Center, Box 6, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11203.

The effect of atracurium on intracranial pressure(ICP) was investigated in six cats with normal and increased ICP. The cats were anaesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbitone (33 mg·kg-1), acepromazine (0.6 mg.kg-1) and incremental fentanyl (p.r.n. 20 µg·kg-1), intubated, and ventilated with nitrous oxide in oxygen. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), twitch response and ICP were continuously recorded. After the effect of atracurium had been ascertained under the condition of normal ICP, and after full recovery of twitch response, pH-adjusted Ringer's lactate solution was infused into the cisterna magna until an ICP baseline of 26 ±2 mmHg was established and stabilized. Atracurium was then administered again to determine its effect under the condition of elevated ICP.

Complete ablation of twitch response was obtained in 68 ± 15 sec with 0.4 mg·kg-1 atracurium, and there was no significant change in ICP, MAP, HR or cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) whether initial ICP was normal or elevated.

Key Words: NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXANT: atracurium • BRAIN: intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1985 by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.