RELATION OF PRE-CURARIZATION TO SUXAMETHONIUM TO PROVIDE EASE OF INTUBATION AND TO PREVENT POST-SUXAMETHONIUM MUSCLE PAINS

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. © 1979 Canadian Anesthesiologists.