LEFT-VENTRICULAR REGIONAL WALL-MOTION AND HEMODYNAMIC-CHANGES FOLLOWING BOLUS ADMINISTRATION OF PIPECURONIUM OR PANCURONIUM TO ADULT PATIENTS UNDERGOING CORONARY-ARTERY BYPASS-GRAFTING

The objective of this study was to compare the haemodynamic and myocar dial effects of pipecuronium and pancuronium in patients undergoing co ronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during benzodiazepine/sufentanil anaesthesia, Twenty-seven ASA III-IV patients received lorazepam (1-3 mg)po and midazolam (<.0.1 mg . kg(-1)) iv before induction of anaesth esia with sufentanil (3-8 mu g . kg(-1)). Vecuronium (0.1 mg . kg(-1)) was administered to facilitate tracheal intubation. According to rand om allocation, each patient received either pipecuronium (150 mu g . k g(-1)) or pancuronium (120 mu g . kg(-1)) after sternotomy but before heparinization. Mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure (CVP) pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) ST segment position and ECG (leads III , V-5, AVF) were monitored continuously throughout the procedure. Ther modilution determinations of CO in triplicate were made immediately be fore, and at two and five minutes after muscle relaxant administration .