COMPARISION OF ONSET OF ACTION, DURATION AND INTUBATING CONDITIONS OF ROCURONIUM BROMIDE AND SUCCINYLCHOLINE IN ADULT PATIENTS.

Background: The major uses of muscle relaxation for surgery are: to facilitate endotracheal intubation and to provide surgical relaxation. Succinylcholine, with its rapid onset time, excellent intubating conditions, and short duration of action is a favourite of many anaesthesiologists for rapid endotracheal intubation. However, it falls short of the status of the ideal muscle relaxant - due to its life-threatening side effects such as hyperkalaemia, cardiac arrest and malignant hyperthermia. Rocuronium may serve as a useful alternative for many clinicians to facilitate endotracheal intubation, not only in elective cases under adequate anaesthesia, but also in emergency situations requiring rapid sequence intubation. The side effect prole of Rocuronium is way more limited, and way more acceptable to that of succinylcholine. While there have been many studies on the dosage of Rocuronium greater than /equal to 1mg/kg, which have demonstrated comparable onset and intubating conditions to succinylcholine, this study involves a lower dose(0.9mg/kg) elective surgery cases, where a minor difference in the time of onset is of no signicant concern. Objective: To compare onset of action, duration and intubating conditions of Rocuronium Bromide (0.9mg/kg) and Succinylcholine (1.5mg/kg) in adult ASA I and II patients posted for elective surgery. Method: this was a randomized, double-blind, prospective, clinical study conducted on 100 ASAI and II patients posted for elective surgery. Patients were divided into two groups using 'slips in the box technique': Group A– received Rocuronium bromide 0.9 mg/kg Group B – received Succinylcholine 1.5mg/kg Results: Ÿ The intubating conditions using Goldberg's score were acceptable in both groups= excellent or good conditions. Ÿ But the Succinylcholine group had more instances of excellent intubating conditions, and this difference was statistically signicant. p<0.05 Ÿ The Mean arterial pressure increased after laryngoscopy in both groups, but its difference between the two groups was not statistically signicant at any time interval. p >0.05 Ÿ In the Rocuronium group, 6 patients had signicant tachycardia. HR>120, and 5 patients had hypotension (MAP<60mm Hg) Ÿ In the Succinylcholine group, 7 patients had signicant tachycardia. HR>120, and 6 patients had hypotension (MAP<60mm Hg). Conclusion: this study reveals that Rocuronium, at a dose of 0.9mg/kg, is an effective substitute for Succinylcholine as the choice of muscle relaxant, and offers similar intubating conditions, at 1 minute. Considering the lower side effect prole, Rocuronium at the dose of 0.9 mg/kg can be the ideal choice for muscle relaxant during elective surgery