Biomedical subjects

V E Kunjappan

Publications and source records attributed to V E Kunjappan.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1986

Rapid sequence induction using vecuronium.

The purpose of this study was to determine the ideal priming and total dose of vecuronium when used as the relaxant during rapid sequence induction of anesthesia and tracheal intubation. Seventy patients were studied. Various priming and total dose schedules using vecuronium were compared with succinylcholine, 1.5 mg/kg. The mean onset times, intubating conditions, and mean duration times were compared. A priming dose of 10 micrograms/kg produced good intubation conditions with both 70 micrograms/kg and 150 micrograms/kg (total doses), but the mean onset times remained significantly longer than succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg (P less than 0.05). A priming dose of 15 micrograms/kg of vecuronium with 100 micrograms/kg total dose, on the other hand, not only produced excellent intubating conditions but also resulted in a mean onset time not significantly different from succinylcholine, 1.5 mg/kg. This latter dose schedule of vecuronium is recommended for rapid sequence induction when succinylcholine is contraindicated. Vecuronium is preferable to pancuronium for rapid sequence induction because of its lack of cardiovascular side effects and short duration.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

Fentanyl/alfentanil for pelvic laparoscopy.

Alfentanil, a new narcotic analgesic, was compared to fentanyl in a technique of balanced anaesthesia using thiopentone 5 mg X kg-1 for induction of anaesthesia, and pancuronium 60 micrograms X kg-1 to facilitate intubation. The study group consisted of 80 female patients scheduled for pelvic laparoscopy. The total dose of alfentanil averaged 2.06 mg (range 1.5-2.5 mg) whereas the dose of fentanyl averaged 0.21 mg (range 0.1-0.25 mg). There was no significant difference between the two groups in duration of anaesthesia, time to extubation, verbal response time or time to orientation to person, place and time. Following intubation, there was a significant rise in heart rate and blood pressure (p less than 0.01) in both groups, but, again, there was no difference between groups. Postoperatively, the respiratory rate was not below 12 per minute for any patient in the study and was comparable for the two groups. The only significant side effect was postoperative nausea which occurred in over 40 per cent of patients and was not significantly different between the two groups. We conclude that alfentanil is a suitable narcotic drug for short surgical procedures on ambulatory patients, but the drug has no marked advantage over fentanyl for these procedures.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗