Investigation of histopathological effects after intra-arterial sugammadex injection in an experimental animal model

Intra-arterial injection of medications are related to mortality and morbidity. It was aimed to investigate the histopathological effects caused by two different intra-arterial doses of sugammadex, a new selective relaxant binding agent used to reverse the effects of steroidal systemic muscle relaxants used in surgeries carried out under general anesthesia.

A total of 15 rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. The control group was given 1 mL saline bolus into the central artery of the ear. The other two groups (Group Sgdx2 and group Sgdx16) were given 2 and 16 mg/kg sugammadex, respectively, intra-arterially.

In control group, histopathological evaluation was in normal limits. The cross-sections belonging to Group Sgdx2 did not have any significant pathological change compared with control group (p > 0.05). Edema and single-cell necrosis were significantly higher in Group Sgdx16 when compared to control group (p < 0.05). In comparison to Group Sgdx2, single-cell necrosis was significantly higher in Group Sgdx16 (p < 0.05).

Being broadly used in anesthesia, sugammadex should be administered with care because when given by intra-arterial route it may cause tissue damage and tissue loss and the patients' arteries should be carefully checked.