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Postoperative muscle pains and suxamethonium
British Journal of Anaesthesia
|February 1, 1980
Summary
Postoperative muscle pain after tracheal intubation was similar between patients receiving pancuronium bromide or suxamethonium. Efforts to prevent suxamethonium-induced muscle pain in major abdominal surgery are not justified.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Postoperative myalgia is a common concern following anesthesia.
- Suxamethonium is frequently used for tracheal intubation but can cause muscle pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the incidence and severity of postoperative myalgia between pancuronium bromide and suxamethonium.
- To evaluate the necessity of interventions aimed at reducing suxamethonium-related muscle pain in major abdominal surgery.
Main Methods:
- Two matched groups of patients with Hodgkin's disease undergoing staging laparotomy were studied.
- Patients received either thiopentone with pancuronium bromide or thiopentone with suxamethonium (1.0 mg kg-1) for tracheal intubation.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in the sites or degree of postoperative myalgia between the two groups.
- The incidence of muscle pain was comparable regardless of the neuromuscular blocking agent used.
Conclusions:
- Interventions to reduce suxamethonium-induced muscle pains in patients undergoing major abdominal operations are not clinically justified.
- Pancuronium bromide and suxamethonium appear to have similar effects on postoperative myalgia in this patient population.