Magnesium intoxication: An uncommon cause of prolonged curarization

Abstract

In many parts of the world magnesium sulphate is still in use for the treatment of pre-eclamptic toxaemia and eclampsia. This report is of a patient with pre-eclamptic toxaemia who failed to breathe adequately after anaesthesia for Caesarean section. Tubocurarine had been administered and it is suggested that the neuromuscular block was potentiated by a high magnesium concentration in the extracellular fluid, resulting from magnesium sulphate therapy. © 1973 Oxford University Press.