RETRACTED: Reversal of vecuronium with neostigmine: a comparison between male and female patients

We investigated the differences between males and females in the reversal effect of neostigmine on neuromuscular blockade. Thirty male and 30 female patients undergoing elective general anesthesia were studied. Vecuronium was given in all patients anesthetized with nitrous oxide, oxygen, and sevoflurane. After the surgical procedure, when T1 (1st response in train-of-four (TOF))/control returned to 0.25, neostigmine 40 microg/kg in combination with atropine 20 microg/kg was given to antagonize residual neuromuscular blockade. Three, six, nine, 12, and 15 minutes after neostigmine reversal, T1/control or TOF ratio (T4/T1) did not significantly differ between the sexes. Also, 15 minutes after neostigmine administration, the number of patients in whom recovery from neuromuscular blockade was sufficient to guarantee good respiratory function, i.e., TOF ratio > 0.74, did not significantly differ between the sexes. In contrast, 15 minutes after neostigmine, the number of patients in whom recovery from neuromuscular blockade was adequate to ensure satisfactory recovery from neuromuscular blockade including the return of the faculty of sight, i.e., TOF ratio > 0.9, was significantly less in the males than in females (6 vs. 14, P = 0.028). In conclusion, 15 min after neostigmine, TOF ratio less often returns to a value of more than 0.9 in males than in females

RETRACTED: Effects of olprinone on neuromuscular blockade caused by vecuronium

We studied the effect of olprinone on neuromuscular blockade caused by vecuronium. Thirty women undergoing nitrous oxide-oxygen-isoflurane anesthesia were randomly divided into olprinone (n=15) or control group (n=15). In the olprinone group, the patients received an intravenous initial loading dose of olprinone at a rate of 2 microg/kg/minute for 5 minutes, followed by a continuous infusion of olprinone at 0.3 microg/kg/minute. In the control group, the patients received normal saline. Thirty minutes after the beginning of the infusion of olprinone or normal saline, vecuronium (0.1 mg/kg) was administered. The degree of neuromuscular blockade was monitored electromyographically at the adductor pollicis muscle. The time to the onset of neuromuscular blockade, and to the return of the first, second, third, or fourth response in train-of-four (TOF; T1, T2, T3, or T4, respectively), and the time course of recovery of T1/control did not differ significantly between the groups. After 50-70 minutes of vecuronium, the TOF ratio (T4/T1) in the olprinone group was significantly higher than in the control group. During this period, the mean TOF ratios in the control and olprinone groups were 0.15-0.39 and 0.40-0.57, respectively. In conclusion, olprinone accelerates the recovery of the TOF ratio, and the quickening effect of olprinone on the recovery of the TOF ratio may be apparent 50-70 minutes after vecuronium in anesthetized patients receiving vecuronium

Tolerance of intraoperative hemoglobin decrease during cardiac surgery

Clinical epidemiolog