The Effects of Mixture of Mivacurium and Vecuronium on Neuromuscular Blockade during General Anesthesia / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine the interactions between mivacurium and vecuronium when administered during a standardized technique. METHODS: Eighty patients (ASA physical status I or II) were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n=20). Their neuromuscular function was measured in response to ulnar nerve supramaximal square-wave TOF stimulation at 10-sec intervals. After the attainment of a stable baseline neuromuscular response, the patients were randomly assigned to receive a rapid iv bolus of either: (1) 3M group (n=20): mivacurium 0.21 mg/kg. Alone, or (2) 2M1V group (n=20): mivacurium 0.14 mg/kg plus vecuronium 0.05 mg/kg, or (3) 1M2V group (n=20): mivacurium 0.07 mg/kg plus vecuronium 0.10 mg/kg, or (4) 3V group (n=20): vecuronium 0.15 mg/kg alone. The onset time of the neuromuscular block, time of recovery of T1 to 25% and reblock time (the time from the reinjection of vecuronium at the time of recovery of T1 to 25% to the time of recovery of T1 to 25%: T25-25) were measured. The intubating condition was evaluated clinically with a scoring system. RESULTS: The onset of block in the 3M group was 33% slower than in the 3V group. The time durations until 25% recovery in the 2M1V, 1M2V and 3V groups were longer than in the 3M group, and the durations in the 1M2V and 3V groups were longer than in the 2M1V group. The T25-25 reblock times of the 2M1V, 1M2V and 3V groups were prolonged in comparison to that of the 3M group. There was no difference in intubating conditions between any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of mivacurium with vecuronium provides rates of onset and duration of block which are more effective than an equivalent dose of mivacuriun alone as an additive reaction.

Postoperative Epidural Fibrosis: An Erroneous Diagnosis as Epidural Abscess after Epidural Block: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

The epidural abscess, while rare, should be taken seriously, as it can result in permanent neurological complications. Fever, back pain, leukocytosis and elevation of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) are major signs and symptoms of epidural abscesses. But clinical recognition of such abscesses may be very difficult because of nonspecific symptoms or signs as well as previous or underlying painful disorders. Few cases has been reported of epidural abscess and epidural fibrosis associated with back surgery or temporary epidural blocks. In these cases, however, fever, low back pain, sciatica and elevation of ESR were the major findings. Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings after Gadolinium- diethylenetriaminopenta-acetic acid (Gd-DTPA) enhancement show central low signal intensity and surrounding high signal intensity at the anterior epidural space between the 5th lumbar and 1st sacral vertebrae. We suspected an epidural abscess caused by epidural block, and so operated. But our operative finding was epidural fibrosis without abscess. Our final pathological diagnosis was epidural fibrosis.