title: Use of the post-tetanic count to monitor recovery from intense neuromuscular blockade in children.
abstract: The post-tetanic count was investigated as a method of monitoring intense neuromuscular blockade in children. One of five myoneural blockers (atracurium, vecuronium, pancuronium, tubocurarine or alcuronium) was given to groups of six children during nitrous oxide-oxygen-halothane anaesthesia. During recovery, the first post-tetanic response always preceded the first train-of-four response. The interval between the appearance of the first post-tetanic response and the first train-of-four response was typically 5-10 min for the intermediate-acting agents vecuronium and atracurium, and 20-30 min for the long-acting agents pancuronium, alcuronium and tubocurarine. A post-tetanic count of 6 with alcuronium and tubocurarine, or 7 with vecuronium, atracurium and pancuronium indicated that recovery of the first train-of-four response was imminent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gwinnutt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meakin
mesh_terms: D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents