Background: During general anesthesia (GA), muscle relaxants are routinely used drugs. Mostly they are administered as intermittent boluses; however, with the availability of novel molecules and meticulous monitoring, there is a shift of usage from intermitted to continuous infusion.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare intermitted and continuous infusion of administration of cisatracurium in regards to total dose consumption, mean infusion rate, duration of neuromuscular blockade, and recovery index.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 60 adult patients undergoing GA with American Society of Anaesthesiologists Grade I and II. Patients were randomly distributed into two groups of 30 each. Group I received cisatracurium by continuous infusion while Group II received cisatracurium by intermittent bolus injection. The two groups were compared with regards to hemodynamic changes, total dose of cisatracurium consumption, mean infusion rate, neuromuscular blockade duration, recovery index, and any other adverse effect. Chi-square test, Student’s t-test, and paired sample t-test were used for statistical analysis.
Results: Intraoperative hemodynamics, neuromuscular blockade duration, and recovery index were comparable among the two groups (P > 0.05). The total dose of cisatracurium used in Group I was less being 7.3 ± 1.48 mg as compare to 8.27 ± 1.57 mg in Group II (P = 0.02). The mean infusion rate in Group I (0.96 ± 0.096 μg/kg/min) was significantly less as compared to Group II (1.11 ± 0.10 μg/kg/min) (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Cisatracurium can be used effectively in both bolus as well as infusion form. However, continuous infusion gives the advantage of reduction of total dose of cisatracurium used and mean infusion rate.
Key words: Cisatracurium; Continuous Infusion; Intermittent Bolus; General Anesthesia
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