ROCURONIUM-INDUCED AND MIVACURIUM-INDUCED NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCK AND INTUBATING CONDITIONS - A COMPARISON WITH VECURONIUM

The time-course of action after an initial 2 x ED(90) dose and after m aintenance doses of 0.5 x ED(90), and intubating conditions at 90 s af ter a 2 x ED(90) dose following rocuronium, vecuronium and mivacurium were evaluated in anaesthetized adult patients. Neuromuscular measurem ents were performed with mechanomyography. Rocuronium produced a signi ficantly deeper neuromuscular block at 90 s (mean and (standard deviat ion)) (91; (11)%), compared to vecuronium (61 (22)%) and mivacurium (5 8 (23)%). The onset time following rocuronium (172 (71)s) was signific antly shorter than that following mivacurium (229 (60)s). At 90s, intu bating conditions were significantly better in the rocuronium group th an in the vecuronium or mivacurium group. Mivacurium offered a signifi cantly faster recovery of neuromuscular block following the 2 x ED(90) dose and following an average of 45 min of clinical muscle relaxation (single twitch response less than or equal to 25%) compared to rocuro nium and vecuronium: clinical duration 13 (4), 28 (9) and 33 (9) min, respectively, and recovery time from 25 to 75% recovery of the single twitch response: 6 (2), 11 (4)and 14 (7) min, respectively.