Effect of lidocaine, atracurium and diazepam pretreatments on post-suxamethonium muscle fasciculations and intubating conditions

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of lidocaine, atracurium and diazepam pretreatments on the incidence and severity of post-suxamethonium muscle fasciculations and on the intubating conditions. 200 patients of both sexes undergoing different surgical procedures were subjected to this study. These patients were divided into four equal groups. All patients were premedicated 30 minutes before induction of anaesthesia by 0.01 mg/kg IM. Two minutes before induction 5 cc saline [as placebo], 3 mg/kg lidocaine, 2.5 mg atracurium and 5 mg diazepam were injected intravenously in the 1st [control], 2nd, 3rd and 4th group respectively. Anaesthesia was induced by thiopentone Na [5 mg/kg] intravenously followed by IV administration of 1 mg/kg suxamethonium to facilitate endotracheal intubations and it was maintained under halothane and oxygen. After suxamethonium administration, the incidence and the severity of muscle fasciculations beside the intubating conditions were evaluated and recorded in a double blind fashion among the patients of this study. From this study it was found that all pretrearments reduced both the incidence and severity of muscle fasciculations. The most effective one was atracurium followed by lidocaine and then by diazepam pretreatment. Numerically but not statistically. intubating conditions were the best in lidocaine pretreated group followed by control group then by diazepam pretreated group and lastly by atracurium pretreated one