title: Post-tetanic count and profound neuromuscular blockade with atracurium infusion in paediatric patients.
abstract: In 38 paediatric surgical patients given atracurium by infusion, the degree of neuromuscular blockade was monitored using the post-tetanic twitch response. This was assessed by counting the number of visible responses when single twitch stimulation was applied at 1 Hz for 30 s after a 5-s tetanic stimulation at 50 Hz. A post-tetanic count of less than 10 correlated with a single twitch height of less than 5% of control, and ensured adequate paralysis. Once the count was greater than 15, the blockade could be antagonized readily.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, Hospital for Sick Children, London.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ridley
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hatch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001279:Atracurium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001279:Atracurium