European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Neuromuscular blocking drugs were first used in anaesthesia and surgery in 1942, ushering in a new era. Succinylcholine, a depolarizing muscle relaxant, was first introduced in 1952, and it quickly became widely used due to the drug's swift action and ultrashort duration of action. However, it was found to cause several undesirable side effects. Hence, efforts have been concentrated on finding the optimal non-depolarizing muscle relaxant with a quick onset and optimal conditions for intubation.
Aim: To compare Atracurium and Cisatracurium with regards to their potency, onset time of neuromuscular blockade and recovery in patients undergoing surgeries under general anaesthesia. Material and methods: We conducted the study in 60 patients of ASA I or ASA II category scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Group A (n=30) and Group B (n=30) were given Atracurium (0.5mg/kg) and Cisatracurium (0.15mg/kg) respectively. The onset time of neuromuscular blockade, intubating conditions, duration of neuromuscular blockade, hemodynamic parameters, and presence of any side effects were noted.
Results: The mean onset time of neuromuscular blockade for Group A and Group B were 256.97±8.23 seconds, and 208.70±6.21 seconds, respectively (p value <0.05). In Group A, the conditions of intubation were excellent in 17.24 % of patients and good in 80.65% and while Group B, excellent conditions were observed in 82.76% of patients and good in 19.35% of patients. The mean duration of neuromuscular blockade was 33.83±1.86 minutes in Group A and 59.20±3.40 minutes in Group B (p value <0.05). No side effects were observed in either group.
Conclusion: Cisatracurium (0.15mg/kg) had a statistically and clinically significant faster onset, excellent intubating conditions, and longer duration of neuromuscular blockade when compared to atracurium (0.5mg/kg). However, atracurium was faster in terms of recovery from the last dose of neuromuscular blockade. Both drugs were stable hemodynamically with no side effects