Summary
Recent evidence has suggested that intraoperative administration of neostigmine to reverse the effects ofd-tubocurarine has contributed to anastomotic disruption or leakage of large-intestinal anastomoses. A retrospective study of 187 consecutive cases of large-intestinal anastomoses was made at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital. Thirtyeight patients received 2.5 mg of neostigmine and 1.2 mg of atropine sulfate by intravenous injection to reverse the effects ofd-tubocurarine. Of the 149 patients who received no such reversing drugs, there was clinical evidence of anastomotic leakage in three. None of the 38 patients who received neostigmine showed clinical evidence of anastomotic leak or disruption. On this basis, we see no reason to discontinue reversal of the effect ofd-tubocurarine with neostigmine and atropine.
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Cofer, T.W., Ray, J.E. & Gathright, J.B. Does neostigmine cause disruption of large-intestinal anastomoses?. Dis Colon Rectum 17, 235–237 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02588107
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02588107