We have compared the ability of equipotent concentrations of isoflurane and sevoflurane to enhance the effect of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs. Ninety ASA I and II patients of both sexes, aged 18-50 yr, were stratified into three blocker groups (Vec, Pan and Atr), to undergo neuromuscular block with vecuronium (n = 30), pancuronium (n = 30) or atracurium (n = 30), respectively. ...

PURPOSE To characterize the electromyographic activity of abdominal striated muscles during micturition in urethane-anesthetized female mice, and to quantitatively evaluate the contribution of abdominal responses to efficient voiding. METHODS Cystometric and multichannel electromyographic recordings were integrated to enable a comprehensive evaluation during micturition in urethane-anesthetiz...

Among the non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs, atracurium appears to be unique in its ability to produce cerebral stimulation in lightly anaesthetized animals. This effect is attributed to the atracurium metabolite, laudanosine. The following studies were performed to determine if pretreatments with the non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockers pancuronium, atracurium or vecuronium woul...

Thiopental (sometimes called, although inaccurately, Sodium Pentothal) was the most commonly used intravenous anesthetic agent for about fifty years, beginning in the mid-1940s.1 As states began to discuss and develop protocols for lethal injection in the 1970s, thiopental was the logical choice as the medication to render the inmate unconscious prior to the administration of subsequent medicat...

The relationships between the block-of-twitch and train-of-four fade in the presence of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs (d-tubocurarine, vecuronium and pancuronium) were examined in vitro by measuring the contractile tension from mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations. The slope of the block/fade relationship differed between onset of and recovery from neuromuscular block follo...