title: Long-term administration of pancuronium and pipecuronium in the intensive care unit.
abstract: This study was performed to determine the optimum dose of pancuronium (n = 30) and pipecuronium (n = 30) under continuous sedation and analgesia in the intensive care unit (ICU). This was an open clinical investigation in 60 critically ill patients with head injury, multiple trauma (in some complicated with sepsis and multi-organ failure), requiring neuromuscular block for ventilation for at least 48 h. Emphasis was placed on the neuromuscular monitoring with a peripheral nerve stimulator and adequate sedation and analgesia. Satisfactory block was achieved in all cases with an average dose of 3 mg/h with either compound. None of the patients experienced prolonged paralysis, muscle weakness, or other neuromuscular dysfunctions in the postventilatory period. We suggest that adequate use of sedative hypnotics and opioids plus neuromuscular monitoring allowed us to optimize the dose of muscle relaxants according to the need of individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Anaesthesia and General Intensive Care Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Khuenl-Brady
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reitstätter
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schlager
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schreithofer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seyr
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mutz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agoston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017300:Pipecuronium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017300:Pipecuronium; D010197:Pancuronium