Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-Letters: Submit a response to the article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (8)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Dunsire, M. F.
Right arrow Articles by Stedmon, J. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Dunsire, M. F.
Right arrow Articles by Stedmon, J. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2001, Vol. 86, No. 5 727-730
© 2001 The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia

Undiagnosed myasthenia gravis unmasked by neuromuscular blockade

M. F. Dunsire*, S. G. Clarke and J. J. Stedmon

Department of Anaesthesia, Fremantle Hospital, Alma Street, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia*Corresponding author: Present address: Department of Anaesthesia, Medway Hospital, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK

Myasthenia gravis is an uncommon autoimmune disease resulting in destruction of the post-synaptic nicotinic receptors at the neuromuscular junction. We describe a 43-yr-old, 95 kg patient who presented for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. She was given vecuronium 10 mg to facilitate tracheal intubation. At the end of the procedure the patient could not maintain adequate spontaneous ventilation despite administration of two doses of neostigmine 2.5 mg. Subsequent investigation led to a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. We discuss the investigation, diagnosis, and subsequent management of such a patient and emphasize that tactile estimation of the train-of-four ratio is not a reliable indicator of adequate recovery of neuromuscular function.

Br J Anaesth 2001; 86: 727–30


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Asian Cardiovasc. Thorac. Ann.Home page
M. M. Maddali, P. V. Matreja, and M. Zachariah
Bispectral Index-Monitored Anesthesia Technique for Transsternal Thymectomy
Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann, August 1, 2009; 17(4): 389 - 394.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.