Rapid tracheal intubation with propofol, alfentanil and a standard dose of vecuronium

We studied 60 ASA I patients with Mallampati grade 1 airways to compareemergency intubating conditions with either alfentanil 20 micrograms kg- 1,propofol 2.5 mg kg-1 and vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1, or with thiopentone 5 mgkg-1 and suxamethonium 1 mg kg-1. Ease of laryngoscopy, vocal cord statusand cough response were graded. The trachea of all patients was intubated;83% of patients in the alfentanil-propofol-vecuronium group and 86% in thethiopentone-suxamethonium group were considered to have satisfactoryintubating conditions at 60 s. We conclude that the combination ofalfentanil 20 micrograms kg-1, propofol 2.5 mg kg-1 and vecuronium 0.1 mgkg-1 provided adequate conditions for rapid tracheal intubation.