ABSTRACT
This randomized controlled trial study evaluated the intubating conditions at 1 minute after 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium in 108 Thai patients who were enrolled for elective surgery under general anesthesia with fentanyl, thiopental and isoflurane at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Excellent or good conditions were observed in 77.8 per cent (p < 0.05) with rocuronium 0.3 mg/kg compared to 94.4 and 97.2 per cent at 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium, respectively but the excellent condition was 16.7 (p < 0.05), 52.8 (p < 0.05) and 77.8 per cent (p < 0.05) from each dose. In females, the excellent condition was 33.3 (p < 0.05), 83.3 and 88.9 per cent while it was only 0, 22.2 and 66.7 per cent (p < 0.05) in males. Therefore, rocuronium > or = 0.6 mg/kg should be adequate for intubation. Furthermore, in a situation where an excellent condition is very important, a dose of > or = 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium is recommended especially in male patients.