EFFECT OF ANTAGONISM OF MIVACURIUM ON RECOVERY OF EXTRAOCULAR-MUSCLE FUNCTION

We have measured extraocular muscle function in 41 patients who receiv ed neuromuscular block with mivacurium 0.2 mg kg(-1) during anaesthesi a with propofol, ketorolac, fentanyl and isoflurane in nitrous oxide a nd oxygen, which was antagonized at the end of surgery with neostigmin e 0.05 mg kg(-1) and glycopyrronium 0.01 mg kg(-1) in 21 of these pati ents. Extraocular muscle function was measured before and after surger y in each group with the Maddox Wing apparatus and compared with a con trol group (n = 20) who breathed spontaneously the same gaseous anaest hetic mixture via a reinforced laryngeal mask airway. In patients wher e the action of mivacurium was antagonized, extraocular muscle functio n was improved significantly 20 min after antagonism (P < 0.001) compa red with those who received no antagonism. At 60 min after antagonism, there were no differences between the groups. There were no differenc es between patients who received no neuromuscular blockers and those w ho received blocker and antagonist.