Abstract
Sevoflurane was compared to isoflurane anesthesia alone and in combination with atracurium or vecuronium in 84 rats using the sciatic nerve — anterior tibialis muscle preparation. Both bolus injection and infusion rate techniques were used to evaluate these drug interactions. The ED50 (dose which produced a 50% depression of twitch tension) of atracurium was 311±31 and 360±32 μg·kg−1 during 1.25 MAC sevoflurane and isoflurane anesthesia respectively. The ED50 of vecuronium was 190±27 and 149±14 μg·kg−1 during 1.25 MAC sevoflurane and isoflurane anesthesia respectively. The mean infusion rates of atracurium and vecuronium required to maintain a 50% depression of twitch tension were 5.04±0.7 and 2.02±0.3 mg·kg−1·hr−1. These infusion rates were 5.04±0.7 and 2.02±0.3 mg·kg−1·hr−1 during 1.25 MAC sevoflurane and 3.73±0.3 and 1.81±0.4 mg·kg−1·hr−1 during 1.25 MAC isoflurane anesthesia respectively. With both atracurium and vecuronium, the infusion rate required to maintain a 50% depression twitch of tension was inversely related to the concentrations of isoflurane and sevoflurane. The authors conclude that sevoflurane is similar in potency to that of isoflurane in augmenting a vecuronium or atracurium induced neuromuscular blockade in a dose-dependent manner.
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Shin, YS., Miller, R.D., Caldwell, J.E. et al. The neuromuscular effects of sevoflurane and isoflurane alone and in combination with vecuronium or atracurium in the rat. J Anesth 6, 1–8 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/s0054020060001
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s0054020060001