EFFECTIVENESS AND SEQUELAE OF VERY LOW-DOSE SUXAMETHONIUM FOR NASAL INTUBATION

We have studied the effectiveness and sequelae of low-dose suxamethoni um in 60 day-case oral surgery patients requiring nasal intubation. An aesthesia was induced with propofol and alfentanil; 60 patients were a llocated randomly to three groups of 20 patients and received no suxam ethonium, suxamethonium 0.25 mg kg(-1) or 0.5 mg kg(-1). All patients received i.v. fentanyl and diclofenac 100 mg rectally for analgesia. G ood intubating conditions were produced in all 20 patients receiving s uxamethonium 0.25 mg kg(-1), in 19 patients receiving suxamethonium 0. 5 mg kg(-1) and in 11 patients not receiving a neuromuscular blocker. The incidence of postoperative myalgia after suxamethonium 0.25 mg kg( -1) (20%) did not differ significantly from the incidence after propof ol and alfentanil alone (28%).