L. De Rossi et al., Comparison of cisatracurium-induced neuromuscular block at the masseter and adductor pollicis muscle, EUR J ANAES, 17(9), 2000, pp. 583-586
Adequate relaxation of the masseter muscle is important during endotracheal
intubation and for the patency of a patient's airway during recovery from
anaesthesia. We evaluated onset and recovery from cisatracurium-induced neu
romuscular block at the masseter and adductor pollicis muscles. Thirty pati
ents were randomly allocated to receive either 0.1 or 0.15 mg kg(-1) cisatr
acurium. The evoked response was measured at both muscles using acceleromyo
graphy. Onset time was significantly shorter at the masseter muscle than at
the adductor pollicis (0.1 mg kg(-1) cisatracurium: 155 +/- 52 vs. 229 +/-
44 s; 0.15 mg kg(-1) cisatracurium: 105 +/- 24 vs. 174 +/- 35 s). Followin
g 0.1 mg kg(-1) cisatracurium, recovery to a TOP-ratio of 0.7 was faster at
the masseter compared to the adductor pollicis (P < 0.05). In the 0.15 mg
kg(-1) cisatracurium group recovery of T-1 to 75% of control and to a TOF-r
atio of 0.7 occurred sooner at the masseter (P < 0.05). We conclude that on
set and recovery from cisatracurium neuromuscular block occurs more rapidly
at the masseter than at the adductor pollicis. It appears unlikely that re
sidual paralysis is present at the masseter once neuromuscular function at
the adductor pollicis has completely recovered.