A cross-over, post-electroconvulsive therapy comparison of clinical recovery from rocuronium versus succinylcholine

To evaluate the effect of the neuromuscular blocking agent, rocuronium, on clinical recovery from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as compared with succinylcholine.

Cross-over study.

University hospital.

13 ASA physical status I and II patients, ages 18 to 60 years, receiving ECT three times a week.

Each patient received either succinylcholine before the first ECT session (Group S) and rocuronium before the third ECT session (Group R). Muscle paralysis was produced with succinylcholine one mg kg(-1) intravenously (IV) or rocuronium 0.3 mg kg(-1) IV. Reversal of the residual neuromuscular block (Group R) was accomplished with 10 microg kg(-1)of atropine and 20 microg kg(-1)of neostigmine after completion of the ECT procedure.

Motor seizure duration time, time to first spontaneous breathing, eye opening, head lift, and tongue depressor test were recorded.

Motor seizure duration and time to first spontaneous breath was longer (33.6 sec vs. 24.2 sec; 9.46 min vs 8.07 min, respectively) in the rocuronium group than the succinylcholine group. No significant difference was detected between the two groups in eye opening, head lift, or tongue depressor testing.

Rocuronium, when used in conjunction with a reversal agent, may be an adequate alternative to succinylcholine as a neuromuscular blocker during ECT.