title: Pain-reducing effect of self-taming suxamethonium.
abstract: The effect was evaluated of a small "self-taming" dose of suxamethonium (0.1 mg/kg) on fasciculations and postoperative muscle pain following a normal intubating dose of suxamethonium (1.0 mg/kg). Forty outpatients undergoing bronchoscopy were randomly allocated to pretreatment with either sodium chloride or suxamethonium 0.1 mg/kg. The pretreatment dose was followed in 60 s by suxamethonium 1.0 mg/kg. Visual rating and mechanical registration of muscle fasciculations were done separately. Muscle pain was found in 74% and in 26% of the patients following pretreatment with sodium chloride and suxamethonium 0.1 mg/kg, respectively (P less than 0.01). No significant relationship was found between pain and muscle fasciculations. It is concluded that self-taming with suxamethonium has a marked pain-reducing effect; and this technique may be used as an alternative to pretreatment with a non-depolarizing relaxant.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D013390:Succinylcholine