Effects of Sugammadex Plus Rocuronium vs Neostigmine Plus Cisatracurium During Renal Transplantation on Graft Function: A Retrospective,Case-Control Study

BackgroundRocuronium can be used in patients with severe renal failure (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min), but the duration of muscle relaxation is longer and results in an increased risk of postoperative residual neuromuscular block. Rocuronium can be antagonized by sugammadex, but the elimination of the complex they make (rocuronium-sugammadex complex) varies according to the renal function. Two case reports/series have reported the use of rocuronium-sugammadex complex during renal transplantation. A recently published retrospective study showed no differences in postoperative creatinine levels in patients receiving kidney transplantation. This retrospective case-control study aims to investigate the effects of rocuronium-sugammadex, used during renal transplantation, on transplanted kidney function.MethodsWe analyzed 113 medical records of patients undergoing kidney transplantation from January 2015 to December 2018. Forty-seven medical records were excluded because they did not report the administration of one of the following drugs during the transplantation: rocuronium, sugammadex, cisatracurium, neostigmine. The demographics of patients and donors were collected along with the following data: blood urea and creatinine, serum and urinary electrolytes, and diuresis. Marginal, single, or double kidney transplantations; Karpinski scores; and histologic evaluations of transplanted kidney were collected.ResultsWe included data from 66 medical reports from January 2015 to December 2018. Blood creatinine levels at 6, 12, and 24 hours were significantly lower in the rocuronium + sugammadex group than in the cisatracurium + neostigmine group (creatinine 6 hours P = .05, creatinine 12 hours P = .038, creatinine 24 hours P = .049). Blood urea levels for 24 hours after transplantation were significantly lower in the rocuronium + sugammadex group than in the cisatracurium + neostigmine group (urea 0 hours P = .025, urea 6 hours P = .011, urea 12 hours P = .03, urea 24 hours P = .011). We found no statistically significant differences in blood sodium, blood potassium, blood calcium, diuresis, urinary sodium, or urinary potassium levels before and after transplantation.ConclusionsIn this retrospective case-control study, the use of rocuronium and sugammadex during renal transplant surgery did not affect relevant kidney recovery outcomes in the first week after transplantation.