INTUBATING CONDITIONS USING CISATRACURIUM AFTER INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA WITH THIOPENTONE

We studied tracheal intubation conditions produced by the muscle relax ant, cisatracurium, following induction of anaesthesia with fentanyl ( 2 mu g.kg(-1)) and thiopentone (6 mg.kg(-1)). Sixty patients were rand omly assigned to receive cisatracurium in a single bolus dose of eithe r 0.15 or 0.20 mg.kg(-1). Tracheal intubation was commenced 120 s afte r injection of the relaxant. The mean (SD) time taken to achieve intub ation was significantly shorter in the 0.20 mg.kg(-1) group (137 (16) a) than the 0.15 mg.kg(-1) group (149 (12) s; p < 0.05). The intubatin g conditions were better after the larger dose. Our results suggest th at when anaesthesia is induced using thiopentone, a dose of 0.20 mg.kg (-1) of cisatracurium is recommended to ensure satisfactory intubating conditions.