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...

Sir We are grateful for the opportunity to reply to your correspondent. If no less an authority than Professor J. M. Hunter can write a sentence beginning 'With the advent of the two new non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, atracurium and vecurionium . . .' (Hunter, 1987), we feel we may use the same expression. Ethical committee approval for the addition of atracurium to Bier's blocks was obtain...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Rocuronium is an intermediate nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocker (NMB) with faster onset and indicated in situations requiring rapid tracheal intubation. Intravenous lidocaine is often used to decrease hemodynamic responses to tracheal intubation. The association of NMB to local anesthetics results in potentiation of NMB effects. The purpose of this study was to eva...

BACKGROUND This study compared intubating conditions and the onset time associated with administration of cisatracurium, a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocker with a relatively slow onset, according to prior injection of one of two intravenous anesthetic agents: propofol or etomidate. METHODS Forty-six female patients, undergoing general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation for elective s...