
Long-Term Administration of Pancuronium and Pipecuronium in the Intensive Care Unit
Author(s) -
Karin S. Khuenl-Brady,
Bettina Reitstätter,
Andreas Schlager,
D. Schreithofer,
Thomas J. Luger,
M. Seyr,
N. Mutz,
S. Ágoston
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/00000539-199406000-00008
Subject(s) - medicine , sedation , anesthesia , sedative , intensive care unit , mechanical ventilation , neuromuscular blocking agents , paralysis , neuromuscular transmission , intensive care , pancuronium bromide , muscle relaxant , intensive care medicine , surgery
This study was performed to determine the optimum dose of pancuronium (n = 30) and pipecuronium (n = 30) under continuous sedation and analgesia in the intensive care unit (ICU). This was an open clinical investigation in 60 critically ill patients with head injury, multiple trauma (in some complicated with sepsis and multi-organ failure), requiring neuromuscular block for ventilation for at least 48 h. Emphasis was placed on the neuromuscular monitoring with a peripheral nerve stimulator and adequate sedation and analgesia. Satisfactory block was achieved in all cases with an average dose of 3 mg/h with either compound. None of the patients experienced prolonged paralysis, muscle weakness, or other neuromuscular dysfunctions in the postventilatory period. We suggest that adequate use of sedative hypnotics and opioids plus neuromuscular monitoring allowed us to optimize the dose of muscle relaxants according to the need of individual patients.