EVALUATION OF THE ONSET TIME AND INTUBATION CONDITIONS OF ROCURONIUM BROMIDE IN CHILDREN

We have assessed, in children aged three to eight years, the intubatin g conditions after administration of rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg at 50 or 60 seconds, in groups of 15 patients. Intubating conditions were excellen t in 11, good in 3 and fair in 1 patient at 50 seconds and excellent i n 12 and good in 3 patients at 60 seconds. The mean onset time, for al l patients, to when the first twitch of the train of four (T-1), measu red at the adductor pollicis, was depressed to less than 30% and 5% of control was 50 (SD 11.4) seconds and 94 (SD 31.7) seconds respectivel y. Depression of T-1 to less than 30% of control, measured at the addu ctor pollicis in children, appears to indicate the intubating conditio n will be clinically acceptable when using rocuronium.