title: Ocular interlimbic distance. A new method of monitoring muscle relaxation during anaesthesia.
abstract: Measurement of the ocular interlimbic distance (OILD) with a vernier caliper has proved a useful method of studying the reduction in muscle tone caused by general anaesthetic agents and non-depolarising muscle relaxants. The depolarising muscle relaxant, suxamethonium, has a special effect on the extraocular muscles which can be exploited to monitor the incremental use of this drug and to assist in the management of suxamethonium-apnoea in patients with atypical pseudocholinesterase.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000886:Anthropometry; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013390:Succinylcholine