Clinical Observations on Suxethonium in E.C.T.

Abstract

Because of their rapidity of onset, brevity of action and relative safety, the choline succinic ester derivatives, in the last two years, have almost completely superseded tubocurarine, gallamine and decamethonium as muscle relaxants in electroplexy. The literature now contains a number of reports of prolonged respiratory arrest associated with the use of these new relaxants. In publishing the results of early experience at Long Grove with three of the new compounds, Monro et al. (1953), tended to favour Scoline with thiopentone in a body-weight dosage using a one-syringe technique. The infrequent occurrence of excessive apnoea proved to be no great problem and was easily dealt with. However, during subsequent work in the same hospital, we were impressed by the markedly more abrupt action of suxethonium (Brevidil “E”) and felt that further investigations into its clinical properties might yield some reward.