title: Priming with vecuronium and atracurium--a comparison.
abstract: Vecuronium (V) and atracurium (A) were compared in a randomised study in premedicated patients undergoing laparoscopy for gynecological pathology. Both groups contained ten patients. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl (0.1 mg) and thiopentone (1 mg/kg initially and subsequently 4 mg/kg). A priming dose of vecuronium (20 micrograms/kg) or atracurium (100 micrograms/kg) was given one minute before the intubating dose (60 micrograms/kg for vecuronium and 300 micrograms/kg for atracurium). Ninety seconds thereafter intubation was performed. Maintenance of anesthesia consisted of isoflurane at an inspiratory concentration of 1% in a mixture of O2/N2O (50%/50%) with small supplements of fentanyl. Neuromuscular block was monitored with the Datex Relaxograph. Results show that neither drug offers major clinical advantages over the other: there is no difference in speed of onset (V:T190sec 14.6 +/- 4.3%; A:T190sec 23.5 +/- 6.5%; Mean +/- SEM) and duration of neuromuscular block (V:T150sec 34.2 +/- 3.5 min; A:T150sec 41.3 +/- 2.8 min; Mean +/- SEM) and intubation conditions are almost identical.
mesh_terms: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D001279:Atracurium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D001279:Atracurium; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide