Korean J Anesthesiol.  1993 Feb;26(1):56-62. 10.4097/kjae.1993.26.1.56.

Effect of Propofol on the Neuromuscular Transmission and Vecuronium-induced Muscle Relaxation

• Kim YI
• Hwang KH
• Kim SI
• Kim SC
• Park W
• Kim SY

• KMID: 2145945
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1993.26.1.56

Abstract

To investigate the effect of propofol in emulsion on the neuromuscular transmission and on the interaction with muscle relaxant, 31 adult parients, ASA I or II, were studied. Neuromuscular transmission was monitored continuously using a train-of-four(TOF) stimulation at every 20 seconds. The ulnar nerve was stimulated supramaximally through surface electrodes at a rate of 0.1 msec, 2Hz and the evoked compound action potential of hypothenar muscles was measured automatically with Relaxograph0atex). To determine the interaction of propofol with muscle relaxant, a bolus injection of propofol 2.5 mg/kg was given intravenously during a steady-state neuromuscular blockade of vencuronium and the effect on the twitch height measured for 30 minutes in 16 patients. To determine the action of propofol on neuromuscular transmission without muscle relaxant in 15 patients, propofol 20(n=7) or 40mg(n=8) in 10ml of 5% dextrose in water was injected respectively at isolated arm of which circulation was occluded by forearm pneumatic tourniquet and TOF response was measured for 10 minutes. In the results, propofol 2.5 mg/kg intravenous administration during steady-state neuromus- cular blokade of vecuronium did not show any change in the twitch height for 30 minutes. Propofol both 20 mg and 40 mg injected to isolated arm also did not show changes in first twitch height and train-of-four ratio for 10 minutes. Conclusively, propofol in emulsion does not interact with vecuronium at clinical dose, and also has not any effect on neuromuscular function at even high dose.

Keyword

Intravenous anesthetics; Propofol; Neuromuscular blocking agent; Vecuronium

MeSH Terms

Action Potentials
Administration, Intravenous
Adult
Anesthetics, Intravenous
Arm
Electrodes
Forearm
Glucose
Humans
Muscle Relaxation*
Muscles
Neuromuscular Blockade
Propofol*
Tourniquets
Ulnar Nerve
Vecuronium Bromide
Water
Anesthetics, Intravenous
Glucose
Propofol
Vecuronium Bromide
Water