Prospective, comparative, randomized, and controlled study of endotracheal intubation conditions without muscle relaxant in children receiving general anesthesia

Introduction Intubation without the need for a muscle relaxant is a common practice in pediatric patients. Many drugs are used; sevoflurane and propofol are used to improve the intubation score and to decrease the usage of a muscle relaxant and avoid its side effects. Aim This study aimed to compare intubation conditions and hemodynamic responses to two induction regimens, without a muscle relaxant using an anesthetic, sevoflurane versus propofol, in children, who required general anesthesia. Patients and methods A prospective controlled study was carried out on 90 patients with ASA physical status I and II scheduled for elective pediatric day case surgeries. Patients were divided into three equal groups of 30 patients each. The patients in the S group received inhalational induction sevoflurane. The P group received 3 mg/kg propofol intravenously. The C group received 2 mg/kg succinylcholine after 3 mg/kg propofol intravenously as a control group; maintenance was performed by inhalation using sevoflurane after intubation in all groups. The intubation conditions, hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation) induction time, and recovery time were all recorded and statistically analyzed. Results With respect to the intubation conditions, no patient in any of the two groups (S and P groups) needed rescue a muscle relaxant for intubation. The S group showed more acceptable and excellent intubation conditions versus the propofol groups (100 and 96.7%, respectively). The heart rate was comparable in all groups at all readings; except during intubation, reading was highly significantly low in the sevoflurane group. Induction time was longer in the sevoflurane group than in the other groups. The recovery time was short in the S group than in the propofol group. Conclusion Endotracheal intubation without neuromuscular blocking agents in pediatric patients undergoing day case surgeries was achieved with no severe respiratory or hemodynamic adverse events by using propofol (3 mg/kg) or sevoflurane 8% at induction and then reduced to a maintenance level after intubation.