title: TOF-tube, a new protection for acceleromyography, compared with the TOF-Guard/TOF-Watch arm board.
abstract: Neuromuscular blockade monitoring at the adductor pollicis has become easier using acceleromyography. In order to guarantee a reliable analysis of its acceleration, the thumb movement has to be free and protected from external influences. To this end, we describe here-in two hand fixation- and protection-devices for use with acceleromyography. After a bolus of 0.3 mg/kg rocuronium, we compared acceleromyography data obtained simultaneously on both hands with, on one side, the cumbersome TOF-Guard/TOF-Watch arm board, and the smaller and handier TOF-tube on the other. Results showed little differences between the two devices. Yet, a short and clinically irrelevant delay was observed for TOF-tube data during recovery. This was probably caused by a difference in thumb position and repositioning technique. In conclusion, the more convenient TOF-tube can be used as well as the TOF-Guard/TOF-Watch arm board in daily clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, University Clinics UCL of Mont-Godinne, B-5530 Yvoir, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ph E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Broka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jamart
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Joucken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009068:Movement; D019148:Neuromuscular Blockade; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology