Clinical, electrical and mechanical correlations during recovery from neuromuscular blockade with vecuronium

In order to determine correlations between electromyographic (EMG), mecanomyographic (MMG) and clinical criteria of adequate recovery from neuromuscular blockade with vecuronium, seven young healthy conscious volunteers were given subparalysing doses of vecuronium. During recovery from neuromuscular blockade, vital capacity, negative inspiratory pressure, peak expiratory flow rate and five-second head lift were assessed. Neuromuscular monitoring included the evoked EMG response of the adductor digiti minimi and the simultaneous evoked MMG response of the adductor pollicis on the same side. We found that all subjects maintained head lift for five seconds at EMG T4T1 of 0.70, and they achieved normal respiratory tests at EMG T4/T1 of 0.90. The MMG T4/T1 needed for the subjects to perform normal respiratory tests was found to be 0.50, at which time six of the seven subjects were able to perform adequately the head lift test.