POST-TETANIC COUNT AND PROFOUND NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKADE WITH ATRACURIUM INFUSION IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS

<sec> In 38 paediatric surgical patients given atracurium by infusion, the degree of neuromuscular blockade was monitored using the post-tetanic twitch response. This was assessed by counting the number of visible responses when single twitch stimulation was applied at 1 Hz for 30 s after a 5-s tetanic stimulation at 50 Hz. A post-tetanic count of less than 10 correlated with a single twitch height of less than 5% of control, and ensured adequate paralysis. Once the count was greater than 15, the blockade could be antagonized readily. </sec>