Neuromuscular recovery after laparoscopy

Vecuronium bromide, 0.045 mg X kg-1, was compared with pancuronium, 0.07 mg X kg-1, when used to provide muscle relaxation for tracheal intubation and abdominal relaxation for outpatient gynecologic laparoscopy. Both drugs provided adequate intubating conditions within 5 min and satisfactory abdominal relaxation. Because spontaneous recovery from vecuronium was more rapid, either with inhalational or nitrous oxide-narcotic techniques, pharmacological reversal with edrophonium and atropine was either not necessary or more easily accomplished after vecuronium, as shown by the train-of-four. All patients receiving pancuronium required reversal of the blockade, and in a few patients reversal was difficult. Tests of muscle power and coordination performed 30 and 60 min postoperatively showed no difference between the drugs. There were no postoperative complications related to muscle relaxants and all patients met our discharge criteria the day of surgery. Given the conditions observed at the end of the procedure, we would choose vecuronium for muscular relaxation in laparoscopic surgery.