Biomaterial Database

Recovery of respiration after neuromuscular blockade with alcuronium. 1987

B A Astley, and R Hughes, and J P Payne

Alcuronium 0.2 mg kg-1 was given to six patients to investigate the simultaneous recovery of breathing and peripheral neuromuscular function. Anaesthesia was maintained with 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen supplemented with 0.5% halothane, and the patients were ventilated to normocarbia. Patients were disconnected from the ventilator after the reappearance of the tetanic response. This response returned at a mean time of 19.2 min after the injection of alcuronium and oxygenation was maintained thereafter by means of apnoeic diffusion. Spontaneous breathing returned at a mean time of 23.6 min after the injection of alcuronium. Sixty minutes after the administration of alcuronium, respiratory exchange was judged adequate, and at that time neuromuscular function was still markedly depressed with a tetanic height less than 25% of control. It was concluded that, because of the slow recovery of neuromuscular function, alcuronium should be reserved for the longer surgical procedure.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009388	Neostigmine	A cholinesterase inhibitor used in the treatment of myasthenia gravis and to reverse the effects of muscle relaxants such as gallamine and tubocurarine. Neostigmine, unlike PHYSOSTIGMINE, does not cross the blood-brain barrier.	Synstigmin,Neostigmine Bromide,Neostigmine Methylsulfate,Polstigmine,Proserine,Prostigmin,Prostigmine,Prozerin,Syntostigmine,Bromide, Neostigmine,Methylsulfate, Neostigmine
D009407	Nerve Block	Interruption of NEURAL CONDUCTION in peripheral nerves or nerve trunks by the injection of a local anesthetic agent (e.g., LIDOCAINE; PHENOL; BOTULINUM TOXINS) to manage or treat pain.	Chemical Neurolysis,Chemodenervation,Nerve Blockade,Block, Nerve,Blockade, Nerve,Blockades, Nerve,Blocks, Nerve,Chemical Neurolyses,Chemodenervations,Nerve Blockades,Nerve Blocks,Neurolyses, Chemical,Neurolysis, Chemical
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D009469	Neuromuscular Junction	The synapse between a neuron and a muscle.	Myoneural Junction,Nerve-Muscle Preparation,Junction, Myoneural,Junction, Neuromuscular,Junctions, Myoneural,Junctions, Neuromuscular,Myoneural Junctions,Nerve Muscle Preparation,Nerve-Muscle Preparations,Neuromuscular Junctions,Preparation, Nerve-Muscle,Preparations, Nerve-Muscle
D012119	Respiration	The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration (	Breathing
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths