RESUMEN
This study aimed to evaluate the neuromuscular blockade profile of pipecuronium in 20 patients suffering from hepatic cirrhosis and divided equally into two groups [a control healthy group and hepatic group submitted to operations to relieve portal hypertension]. All patients were subjected to general anesthesia induced by thiopentone sodium 5 mg/kg, followed by pipecuronium 0.06 mg/kg to facilitate endotracheal intubation and maintained by N2O: O2 [2: 1] and halothane 0.5-1.0% with 0.01 mg/kg of pipecuronium as maintenance relaxation doses. Endotracheal intubation was successfully performed when TI ratio reached 10% and TOF ratio approximately reached 0% as traced by Datex relaxograph. The onset of action of pipecuronium, duration of clinical relaxation of bolus dose and total dose requirements were measured