[Protracted action of vecuronium in a patient with chronic renal insufficiency treated by dialysis]

Although the pharmacokinetics of vecuronium are altered by the loss of kidney function, they do not differ significantly between patients with normal renal function and patients with renal failure. Therefore, the drug has become a preferred neuromuscular blocking agent in anuric patients. The author observed complete relaxation--verified by nerve stimulation--for more than 3 h following a single dose of 0.09 mg/kg vecuronium in a patient with chronic renal failure. Liver function was normal, and no drugs known to interact with vecuronium were used. The authors conclude that the altered pharmacokinetics of vecuronium in anuric patients might cause clinically significant effects in some patients.