title: Rapid tracheal intubation with propofol, alfentanil and a standard dose of vecuronium.
abstract: We studied 60 ASA I patients with Mallampati grade 1 airways to compare emergency intubating conditions with either alfentanil 20 micrograms kg-1, propofol 2.5 mg kg-1 and vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1, or with thiopentone 5 mg kg-1 and suxamethonium 1 mg kg-1. Ease of laryngoscopy, vocal cord status and cough response were graded. The trachea of all patients was intubated; 83% of patients in the alfentanil-propofol-vecuronium group and 86% in the thiopentone-suxamethonium group were considered to have satisfactory intubating conditions at 60 s. We conclude that the combination of alfentanil 20 micrograms kg-1, propofol 2.5 mg kg-1 and vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 provided adequate conditions for rapid tracheal intubation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, JG Strijdom and Baragwanath Hospitals, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Groener
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Moyes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015760:Alfentanil; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D015742:Propofol; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013390:Succinylcholine; D013874:Thiopental; D013997:Time Factors; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide
chemical_list: D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D015760:Alfentanil; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide; D013390:Succinylcholine; D013874:Thiopental; D015742:Propofol