The effect of ketamine on the duration of atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade was studied in 40 healthy patients anaesthetized with midazolam, fentanyl and nitrous oxide. Twenty received, in addition, i.v. ketamine 2 mg kg-1 followed by an infusion of 2 mg kg-1 h-1. Atracurium 0.5 mg kg-1 was injected i.v. and the time to 25% recovery of the twitch height was measured. It was 8.0 min long...

Background: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a successful treatment option for various psychiatric disorders. It is performed under general anesthesia where succinylcholine is the preferred muscle relaxant in this process. However its several contraindications and potential adverse effects, and the fact that it is not always available should be considered. Therefore, finding an effective and ...