COMPARISON OF VISUAL AND MEASURED TRAIN-OF-FOUR RECOVERY AFTER VECURONIUM-INDUCED NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKADE USING TWO ANAESTHETIC TECHNIQUES

This study evaluated train-of-four recovery after the administrationof vecuronium, comparing measured with visually observed responses.Responses to supramaximal stimuli of the ulnar nerves were measuredby a force transducer, and compared with visually observed movementsof the contralateral thumb. For the 10 patients anaesthetizedwith nitrous oxide and enflurane, the second, third and fourthtwitches visually reappeared at 84 (±10) %, 76 (±11)%, and 70 (±12) % measured blockade, respectively. Forthe other 10 patients, anaesthetized with a narcotic-barbituratetechnique, the second, third and fourth twitches reappearedat 81 (±8) %, 68 (±9) %, and 59 (±11) %.These results were not different for the two anaesthetic techniques.