Vecuronium-thiopentone induction for emergency caesarean section under general anaesthesia

Induction of general anaesthesia for emergency caesarean section has always been hazardous. Acid aspiration syndrome and adverse reactions to suxamethonium are well recognised problems, in spite of which "crash" induction using thiopentone and suxamethonium remains a common induction technique. Recent case reports suggest that the use of medium duration nondepolarising relaxants in place of suxamethonium achieves satisfactory intubating conditions in the emergency caesarean section patient. This study was undertaken to investigate the following aspects of rapid-sequence vecuronium-thiopentone induction for emergency caesarean section. 1. To establish whether 8 mg of vecuronium provides effective intubating conditions. 2. To establish whether placental transfer of vecuronium used in the above dosage has any clinically detectable effect upon the newborn. 3. To establish the limit of lead time by which vecuronium may precede thiopentone to minimise the dangerous period between loss of consciousness and intubation. 4. To detect instances of acid regurgitation or aspiration. 5. To confirm that relaxant reversal is clinically effective at the completion of surgery. In this series of thirty cases, vecuronium 8 mg preceding thiopentone 250 mg and atropine 0.6 mg by 20 seconds provided effective induction and easy intubating conditions without clinical effects on the newborn, maternal acid aspiration, or clinical signs of persistent paralysis after reversal.