T. Randell et al., ISOFLURANE INHIBITS MUSCLE FASCICULATIONS CAUSED BY SUCCINYLCHOLINE IN CHILDREN, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 37(3), 1993, pp. 262-264
The incidence and intensity of muscle fasciculations as well as the oc
currence of cardiac arrhythmias following succinylcholine were evaluat
ed in 36 premedicated children (1.0-5.7 years) after intravenous induc
tion with thiopentone or after inhalation induction with isoflurane (3
.75 vol-% in 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen). The study was randomized. I
n the thiopentone group, fasciculations were seen in all children and
in the isoflurane group in 5 of 18 children (P<0.001). The median of t
he duration of fasciculations was 15 s with a minimum of 5 s and maxim
um of 36 s (1st quartile 9 s and 3rd quartile 20 s) in the thiopentone
group and 0 (0-15) s with a 1st quartile of 0 and a 3rd quartile of 3
s in the isoflurane group (P<0.001). No cardiac arrhythmias were note
d in either group. In conclusion, isoflurane in nitrous oxide inhibits
succinylcholine-induced muscle fasciculations in children.