[Effect of the nondepolarizing muscle relaxant atracurium in patients with vascular diseases]

Electric myographic examination was performed in 37 patients with atherosclerotic occlusive lesion in the great vessels. The patients were found to have concurrent impaired neuromuscular transmission that, however, produced no effects on the myoparalytic activity of the nondepolarizing relaxant atracurium (UK). The application of atracurium, 0.5 mg/kg following induction in the anesthesia provided good conditions for tracheal intubation and potentialities of monomyorelaxation during the entire operation. Atracurium given in a starting dose of 0.5 mg/kg and a myoplegia-maintaining dose of 0.25 mg/kg ensured adequate myorelaxation within 30-40 minutes. The lack of cumulative effects made the clinical effect of atracurium readily controlled and required no pharmacological antagonization at the end of surgery. Safe application of atracurium is useful in cardiovascular surgery.