The protective effect of thiopentone against muscular pain and stiffness which follows the use of suxamethonium chloride

Abstract

Some factors known to influence the incidence of muscle pain following suxamethonium chloride are the age and sex of the patient, the nature of operation and the time of ambulation. The protective effect of thiopentone against this after-pain was demonstrated in a controlled series of patients undergoing a standard minor operation. With a 5-minute interval between administration of thiopentone and suxamethonium 41 per cent developed after-pain; this fell to 14 per cent when there was no interval. This effect could not be demonstrated following induction with nitrous oxide and oxygen, which was followed by a higher overall incidence (55 per cent). It was concluded that the protective effect of thiopentone was of short duration, but that some protective effect remained even after 5 minutes. © 1964 John Sherratt and Son.