Comparison of atracurium and vecuronium during anaesthesia for laparoscopy

Atracurium 0.3 mg kg-1 and vecuronium 0.06 mg kg-1 were compared directly in a double-blind randomized trial during anaesthesia for laparoscopy in 57 healthy young women. The effects of the drugs were monitored using a portable electromyograph. Both drugs provided adequate intubating conditions at 3 min, and prompt antagonism of paralysis after administration of neostigmine, but recovery was significantly faster with vecuronium (mean time to 20% recovery of control electromyographic response: vecuronium 15.1 min; atracurium 20.6 min (P less than 0.001)). Atracurium caused a higher frequency of clinically observed allergoid reactions (21%) compared with vecuronium (3%).