British Journal of Anaesthesia, Vol 78, Issue 2 222-223, Copyright © 1997 by The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia
J. M. Torrance, BMF. Lewer and D. C. Galletly
We have compared in two groups of five healthy volunteers, the motor effect
of prilocaine i.v. regional anaesthesia of the forearm with and without
addition of mivacurium 0.6 mg. Although addition of mivacurium might,
theoretically, provide the benefit of increased neuromuscular block with
rapid plasma cholinesterase degradation in the isolated limb, we observed
prolonged forearm weakness in the mivacurium group using tests of grip
strength (median recovery to 90% of control, 80 min (range 60 min to > 8
h) vs control median recovery to 90% of 16 (8-24) min) and bead transfer
(median recovery to 90% of control 36 (24-48) min vs control median
recovery to 90% of 12 (8-16) min). This weakness was considerably in excess
of that predicted by rapid systemic degradation of mivacurium. The
mivacurium group experienced symptoms of local anaesthetic toxicity which
did not occur in the control group and which could not be replicated by
administration of mivacurium alone.
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Low-dose mivacurium supplementation of prilocaine i.v. regional anaesthesia
Section of Anaesthesia, Wellington School of Medicine, Private Bag, Wellington, New Zealand
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