European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE COMPARISON OF ROCURONIUM AND SUCCINYLCHOLINE FOR ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING ELECTIVE SURGERY UNDER GENERAL ANAESTHESIA

Rizwan Muneer*, Dr. Syed Faisal Andrabi, Dr. Abhishek Gupta, Dr. Pankaj Koul and Suhail Anjum Rather

ABSTRACT

Background: Succinylcholine is a muscle relaxant of choice for intubation due to its fast onset and ultrashort duration of action but it is associated with unwanted side effects. Rocuronium bromide can be used alternatively to avoid those unwanted side-effects because of its fast onset and intermediate duration of action. This study was conducted to find a better alternate drug with minimal adverse effects and easy for intubations. Thus, our study aimed to compare the onset time, duration of action, intubating condition and hemodynamic effect of rocuronium bromide at the dose of 0.8 mg/kg and Succinylcholine at the dose of 1.5 mg/kg. Methods: A total of 140 cases; 70 cases in each group are calculated with 80 powers of the test, 5 positions of significance, and taking the anticipated chance of excellent intubation i.e. 93 with rocuronium and 76 with succinylcholine in cases witnessing surgery under general anesthesia. Results: The Rocuronium bromide 0.8 mg/kg provided excellent intubating conditions in 67.1% patients, good intubating conditions in 22.9% patients and poor intubating conditions in 10% patients, while succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg provided excellent intubation conditions in 64.3% patients, good intubating conditions in 28.6% patients and poor intubating conditions in 7.1% patients. There was insignificant difference present in intubation scores between these two groups. The duration of action was longer with rocuronium bromide 0.8 mg/kg (44.4 ± 4.7 minute) as compared to succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg (3.85 ± 3.3 minute). The mean of onset of action of succinylcholine is significantly shorter than that of rocuronium (48.07 ± 4.04 Vs 74.4 ± 9.1 sec). Conclusion: Rocuronium bromide 0.8 mg/kg gives the same intubating conditions as succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg with good haemodynamic stability and no side-effects but the duration of action was longer with rocuronium bromide 0.8 mg/kg as compared to succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg. Rocuronium bromide 0.8 mg/kg can be used as an alternative to succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg in patients undergoing elective surgeries where early return of spontaneous recovery is not needed.

Keywords: Endotracheal intubation, Succinylcholine, Rocuronium, General anesthesia, surgical airway management.